8th National Anubhav Awards Honour Retiring Officials as Partners in Nation-Building

Launched in 2015, the Anubhav Awards were envisioned to not only felicitate retiring employees but also to capture their experiences and insights as a repository of institutional learning.

 

At the 8th National Anubhav Awards ceremony and the 57th Pre-Retirement Counselling Workshop held at Vigyan Bhawan, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences; and MoS in the Prime Minister’s Office, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh, underlined the importance of drawing on the wisdom and lifelong service of retired officials. He described them as “partners in nation-building even beyond superannuation.”

Building an Institutional Memory of Governance

Launched in 2015, the Anubhav Awards were envisioned to not only felicitate retiring employees but also to capture their experiences and insights as a repository of institutional learning. With over 12,500 memoirs now published on the Anubhav portal, the initiative has grown into a valuable archive of governance lessons.

Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasised that retirees often provide bold and candid feedback since they have fewer personal stakes after superannuation. These observations, he noted, serve as vital inputs to course-correct policies, improve transparency, and ensure more citizen-centric governance.

“Those who have lesser stakes after retirement can speak more boldly, more candidly. Their observations help us course-correct our policies and ensure better service delivery,” he said.

Technology Meets Experience: AI for Governance Insights

The Minister also announced that artificial intelligence tools will increasingly be deployed to analyse thousands of memoirs submitted on the Anubhav portal. AI-driven analytics will help identify systemic gaps in human resource management, including issues relating to transfers, promotions, grievance redressal, and workplace reforms.

“We are moving towards a hybrid model, where human intelligence and artificial intelligence together will guide policy reforms,” Dr. Singh remarked.

This blend of human experience and technological insight, he stressed, will create a dynamic framework for future governance improvements.

A Decade of Recognising Service: 2025 Awardees

Marking a decade of the initiative, this year’s awards honoured 15 officials from 11 ministries and departments, including—for the first time—officers from a public sector bank and a central public sector enterprise.

Prominent awardees included:

• M. Venkatesan, who retired after 35 years of service, documented critical experiences such as the 2014 Kashmir floods and the 2022 Ukraine evacuation.

• Hukum Singh Meena, recognised for spearheading the digitisation of land records across 6.4 lakh villages.

• Shalini Kacker (SBI), awarded for driving Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), pension reforms, and the Digital Life Certificate campaign in the banking sector.

• O. Virupakshappa (Department of Posts), honoured for expanding postal savings and insurance schemes to rural India.

• Saju P.K. (CRPF), acknowledged for dedicated service in sensitive operational areas, including Assam and Pulwama.

The Jury Awardees reflected the diversity of India’s administrative and defence institutions, with winners from BHEL, DRDO, ISRO, Telecom, CRPF, CWC, and ITBP. One-third of the honourees this year were women, highlighting the growing participation of women in governance and administration.

New Initiatives and Releases

The ceremony also saw the launch of several new initiatives:

• Guidelines for the nation-wide Digital Life Certificate Campaign 4.0

• A Coffee Table e-Book compiling success stories from Special Campaign 2.0

• Enhanced pre-retirement counselling sessions for employees nearing superannuation

Sessions covered pension processes, health benefits, investment strategies, and income tax management, helping retiring officials prepare for a financially and emotionally secure life post-service.

Retirement as a New Beginning

Dr. Jitendra Singh urged awardees to view retirement not as an end, but as the beginning of a new chapter. He cited examples of senior citizens launching start-ups in food and agriculture, serving as advisors, or engaging in social service.

“You may retire on paper, but you never retire from serving the nation,” he said.

Bridging Past and Future of Governance

The Anubhav Awards have steadily evolved over the last decade, becoming a living repository of governance experiences and a channel for continuous policy feedback. By broadening its base to include public sector banks and enterprises, the awards now reflect the full spectrum of public service in India.

Officials attending the event included V. Srinivas (Secretary, Pension); Shri Vitul Kumar (Special DG, CRPF); Smt. Roli Singh (DG, CGHS); Shri Raj Kumar Arora (CGDA); and Shri Dhrubajyoti Sengupta (Joint Secretary, Pension), who joined the Minister in felicitating awardees.

As the initiative enters its second decade, it aims to further strengthen its role as a bridge between past experiences and future governance reforms, ensuring that the service of retiring employees continues to inspire and guide the nation.