Senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka, known for his uprightness during his nearly 34-year career, which saw 57 postings, will be superannuating on Wednesday.
The 1991 batch IAS officer is serving as Additional Chief Secretary, Transport Department. He was transferred and posted to his current job in December 2024.
Khemka came into national limelight in 2012 when he cancelled the mutation of a Gurugram land deal linked to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law, Robert Vadra
Born in Kolkata on April 30, 1965, he earned a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Kharagpur in 1988, followed by a PhD in Computer Science from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and an MBA specialising in Business Administration and Finance.
Known for his crusade against corruption and malpractices, Khemka's bureaucratic career coincided with the tenures of seven Haryana chief ministers: Om Prakash Chautala, Bhajan Lal, Bansi Lal, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Manohar Lal Khattar and Nayab Singh Saini.
Khemka was transferred 57 times apparently the highest among the state's bureaucracy. Despite his multiple transfers or short stints in a particular department, Khemka consistently highlighted alleged irregularities that came to his notice. Ever since he brought up the Vadra-DLF land deal, he has been posted in “not-so-significant” departments, such as archaeology and printing and stationery.
The BuckStopper, run by a group of seasoned journalists, holds the powerful accountable. The buck stops with them, as they cannot shrug off their official responsibilities.
