Among the currently serving IAS officers from the Rajasthan cadre, Rajat Kumar Mishra stands out as the only one with direct administrative experience in a war-like situation during his tenure as a district collector.
A 1992-batch IAS officer, Mishra—now posted at the Centre as Secretary, Department of Fertilizers—served as the Collector of Jaisalmer during the Kargil conflict in 1999, which lasted from May to July. His performance during that high-tension period earned him widespread appreciation.
“Mishra handled the situation exceptionally well. Then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was particularly impressed, given Jaisalmer’s sensitive location along the border,” recalled R.C. Jain, a former IAS officer who was posted in the Chief Minister’s Office at the time.
Other senior officers who served in key border districts during the Kargil war have since retired. These include:
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Niranjan Arya (1989 batch), who was then the Collector of Bikaner and retired as Chief Secretary.
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K.N. Gupta (1988 batch, promoted from state service), who was Collector of Sri Ganganagar.
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R.N. Arvind (1988 batch, also promoted from state service), who served as Collector of Barmer during that period.
Current Guardians at the Border
Today, the responsibility of managing these sensitive districts lies with a new generation of young officers:
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Pratap Singh – Collector, Jaisalmer
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Tina Dabi – Collector, Barmer
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Namrata Vrishni – Collector, Bikaner
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Dr. Manju – Collector, Sri Ganganagar
“These young collectors have shown commendable leadership so far,” Jain added. “But with Pakistan’s repeated attacks targeting these border districts, the challenge before them is far greater. Their resilience and administrative acumen will be crucial in the days ahead.”
