‘Most transferred IAS officer’ of India who was transferred 57 times in 33 years, has finally retired, his name is…

Senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka, known for his uprightness during his nearly 34-year career, which saw 57 postings, will be superannuating on Wednesday, April 30. According to the news agency PTI, the 1991-batch officer will retire as Additional Chief Secretary, Transport Department. He was transferred and posted to his current job in December 2024.

The Haryana-cadre IAS officer came to 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. A mutation is part of the process to transfer ownership of a piece of land.

IAS officer Ashok Khemka was born on April 30, 1965, in Kolkata. Speaking of his educational qualification, Khemka 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. While in service, Khemka also completed his LLB from Panjab University.

With a record 57 transfers in his career—likely the most in the state’s bureaucracy—Ashok Khemka returned to the transport department last December. The department is currently overseen by Minister Anil Vij. This return comes nearly a decade after Khemka was transferred out of his role as transport commissioner during the first term of the BJP government led by Manohar Lal Khattar.

Khemka is known as the most transferred IAS officer in the country, with over 55 recorded transfers in his career spanning three decades. At the time of his removal, Khemka had been in the transport department for only four months.

Earlier in 2023, Ashok Khemka wrote to Khattar and offered to “root out corruption” with a stint in the vigilance department. Furthermore, he stated he had sacrificed his service career in his zeal to end corruption. According to news agency PTI, there is not enough work in his present posting — the Archives department (the department he then handled) — some officers are overloaded with multiple charges and departments, due to which they are always firefighting, he had then pointed out.

In the letter dated January 23, 2023, Khemka added, “Lopsided distribution of work does not serve public interest.” “Towards the end of my service career, I offer my services to head the vigilance department to root out corruption.

The IAS Officer wrote, “If given an opportunity, I assure you there would be a real war against corruption and no one however high and mighty will be spared.”

After a round of promotions over two years back, Khemka tweeted: “Congratulations to my batchmates newly appointed as Secretaries to GOI! While this is an occasion for merry, it brings equal measure of despondency for one’s own self having been left behind. Straight trees are always cut first. No regrets. With renewed resolve, I shall persist.”

Congratulations to my batchmates newly appointed as Secretaries to GOI! While this is an occasion for merry, it brings equal measure of despondency for one’s own self having been left behind.
Straight trees are always cut first. No regrets. With renewed resolve, I shall persist.

— Ashok Khemka (@AshokKhemka_IAS) October 19, 2022

For over 12 years, Ashok Khemka has mostly served in departments considered “low profile.” Throughout his career, he has been transferred approximately every six months on average. Previously, Khemka was assigned to the Archives department for the fourth time — with three of those postings occurring during the BJP-led government’s tenure. He earlier served as the director general and later the principal secretary of the Archives department. He was first transferred to the department in 2013 when the Congress was in power. It is stated that Ashok Khemka has been transferred 57 times in 33 years.

(With PTI Inputs)

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