Ranchi, Sep 10: Senior IAS officer and Jharkhand government secretary Mukesh Kumar on Thursday spoke about the changing nature of governance in India, stressing the importance of inclusiveness, democratic values and collective participation in nation-building.Kumar was delivering a special lecture on “Governance in a Changing India: Challenges and Opportunities” organised by the Training and Placement Department of Usha Martin University (UMU) for students of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Kumar, who serves as Secretary of the Planning and Development Department as well as the Tourism, Art, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Department of the Jharkhand government, discussed various dimensions of governance and public administration.During his address, he highlighted Jharkhand’s significance in the broader national development framework and spoke about India’s long democratic tradition.
Referring to the ancient republican tradition associated with Vaishali, Kumar said India’s democratic heritage has deep historical roots. He also explained the country’s social and cultural diversity through the metaphor of a “salad culture”, where different identities can retain their individual characteristics while contributing to a larger collective society.
The IAS officer emphasised that an inclusive approach is essential for effective governance and sustainable nation-building.He also discussed the role of differences and unity in a democratic system, noting that public debate and disagreements can coexist with collective efforts towards national progress.
Kumar further referred to Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of truth, non-violence and selfless service, describing them as values that continue to have relevance in public life and governance.An interactive question-and-answer session followed the lecture, during which students raised questions on governance and public policy and engaged with the senior bureaucrat.
The programme began with a welcome address by UMU Acting Vice Chancellor Brigadier Sumerveer Singh. University Registrar Dr Shiv Pratap Verma later proposed the vote of thanks.
Campus Director Dr Anil Kumar Mishra, Dean Academics Prof B.N. Sinha, and deans and heads of various departments under Humanities and Social Sciences were among those present.
The programme was conceptualised and coordinated on the initiative of Dr Priyanka Pallavi of the Training and Placement Department.
