A poetess at heart, R Vimla is compassionate about citizens, wants city lakes to be revived

 

 

 

 

 

These lines are taken from the poem ‘Tum Chale Gaye’ penned by R Vimla, Nagpur District Collector. While dealing with the issues of land acquisition, revenue, rehabilitation, employment guarantee which are the practical issues of human life, the Collector kept alive the delicate heart of a poetess. This is not her first poem and also it is not that she has been writing for last several years. In fact, she was introduced to poetry just four years ago by 1990 batch IAS officer Sumedha Kataria. R Vimla’s writings, poems mostly reflect positivism, pragmatism as she believes in it. In the above poem, she mourns the death of her near one who probably had committed suicide. At the same time, she gives the message that one’s death doesn’t end the problem. The one who commits suicide assumes that the problems would end in his/her death which is not true.

 

A woman is known for her compassion, if she is poetess then it adds value to her virtuous approach. All these aspects have been helping R Vimla while working as a public servant. Her consistency and winning instinct are leading her to do justice to whatever work she takes in her hand. It is her that soft heart, the feelings come out of it too like that, it reflect in her priorities when she took over as new Collector of Nagpur District. She decided three things to be done on priority -- 1) Transformation of the lives of women, 2) Bring change in livelihood of those depend on agriculture and 3) Revival/rejuvenation of lakes in Nagpur city. She cries when she sees the condition of lakes in Nagpur. “I used to visit Nagpur during winter session of State Legislature and I had made a point to visit lakes in Nagpur. I came here after a long and with all curiosity visited the lakes, but the condition of lakes has become bad. I really want to do something for the lakes but I am doubtful whether I would be able to do justice to the cause as lakes don’t come under my purview,” expressed R Vimla. All the three issues which she made as her priority have a human angle. With two key posts being held by two women -- Divisional Commissioner by Prajakta Lavangare-Verma and District Collector by R Vimla, in some sections in Nagpur people have started saying ‘Woman’s Raj’ has come to the city. But R Vimla doesn’t accept it.

 

According her, earlier there were two men and both handled their work that too in peak period of the pandemic, very efficiently. Then nobody said it is ‘Man’s Raj’. Why ‘Woman’s Raj’ now. “I agree woman, despite working as a public servant, her works at home as a mother, as a daughter-in-law, as a wife, as a sister has to render certain works on her own as there man can’t help. Those works never get reduced. My son wanted me to be with him when he had his examinations. Unfortunately, I could not accompany him, that is another thing. But when a mother stays away, people start blaming her. Of course the connect with present Divisional Commissioner could easily be established because she too is a woman. She understands my issue in a better way. I had worked with her earlier also. But at the same time I was supported mainly by men -- my husband, brother, son, male colleagues which I always remember,” explained R Vimla. Cracking Union Public Service Commission examination got imbibed in her mind when she was in Class V. Then the school alumnus who was IAS had been to school.

 

His achievement inspired R Vimla who then took it as her aim. Unfortunately, she could not crack UPSC after two attempts. Then she attempted to crack Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) exam. In MPSC, Marathi language was compulsory. She being a Tamilian, it was a difficult task to learn Marathi. She learnt with focussed efforts. In fact, in MPSC, she got 85 marks in Marathi, which is probably the highest. She believes in Kaizen-- a Japanese term, meaning continuous improvement. In Nagpur, immediately after taking over the charge, she had convened first meeting where she passed necessary instructions and ensured that everything would be followed. “People lose their lands due their ignorance or due to some issues at administration. I always feel bad for such citizens. I think people should get justice which is their legitimate right,” pointed out R Vimla. Like Prajakta Lavangare-Verma, the Divisional Commissioner, R Vimla too wants collaborative efforts, she wants to lead her team with all inclusiveness which is evident from her personality.