MCC Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy loves to watch OTT shows, spend time with family
- Determination, Dedication, Discipline key to success
- Work-life balance is very challenging: Reddy
G. Lakshmikantha Reddy, the present Commissioner of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), has been at the helm of affairs from June 2021. A native of Raichur, 35-year-old Reddy completed his early education there and has traversed a diverse academic record ranging from Engineering to Management to Civil Services. He has earlier served as the Assistant Commissioner of Hassan and Sakleshpur, CEO of Bidar and Vijayapura Zilla Panchayats. Being a top bureaucrat, he is occupied with multiple assignments and effectively manages an immense workload. During weekends, he makes it a point to spend time with family and indulge in stress-buster activities like playing with his toddler. His much loved sports include football and cricket. He is also a fitness enthusiast.
Star of Mysore caught up with MCC Commissioner Lakshmikantha Reddy to get a sneak peek of his ideas, achievements and personal life.
By Shadan Muneer
Star of Mysore (SOM): Can you take us through your growing up years?
Lakshmikantha Reddy: I am basically from Raichur where I completed my primary education. I had a normal childhood with caring parents by my side who always motivated and encouraged me and my sister to focus on education and become successful individuals. I did my graduation in Computer Science in Bengaluru and then joined the IIM (Indian Institute of Management), Ahmedabad, to do my MBA. Later I cracked the UPSC examination and joined the Civil Services.
SOM: After graduating as an Engineer you did your MBA and finally landed the dream job of a Civil Servant, can you elaborate?
Lakshmikantha Reddy: When I was in the final year of Engineering, I decided to study further. I cracked the CAT and joined IIM, Ahmedabad, to study MBA. After completing MBA, I worked for Strategic Consulting from KPMG Advisory Services. While working on a couple of projects with Andhra Pradesh Government, I had the privilege to interact with senior IAS Officers on a daily basis which actually drew me towards Civil Services. I took up the UPSC exam and cleared it and today I am here before you.
SOM: As an IIM graduate you could have landed a plush job in the corporate world but why did you choose the challenging Civil Services?
Lakshmikantha Reddy: I did have a plush job after completing my MBA but nothing matches the job satisfaction that I am getting here in this field. I like taking up the day-to-day challenges and complex work structure that comes along with this job. Giving your best to bring about a change in the society is very satisfying and only Civil Services provide you the opportunity to work directly for the betterment of the society.
SOM: Being an IAS Officer will surely keep you occupied throughout the day. Still if you find time what activities do you like to get involved in?
Lakshmikantha Reddy: It’s difficult to find free time amidst my work schedule. During my college days, I enjoyed playing cricket and football but now the routine is to go on Ward visits in the mornings but whenever I find little time, I spend it with my kid who is 11 months old.
SOM: How do you manage to balance your professional and personal life?
Lakshmikantha Reddy: Work-life balance is very challenging especially in field postings as we are occupied here for 12 to 14 hours a day. Sometimes it gets difficult to give time to family but I try to keep my weekends free so that I can spend some quality time with my family as I am totally occupied during weekdays.
SOM: How do you unwind from a long tiring day?
Lakshmikantha Reddy: After a day’s hectic work, I watch shows on OTT (Over-the-top) platforms. Spending time with my child is also very relaxing.
SOM: What plans have you chalked out for the development of Mysuru, which was once declared the Cleanest City in India?
Lakshmikantha Reddy: As a team we have taken up three to four major aspects, one being the streetlight problem and we are in the process of implementing it so that there is no black spot in Mysuru.
Another issue is with respect to sanitation. We have now identified three spots to dump city’s garbage and manage waste.
We are also planning to get modern processing plants. We are aiming at increasing the number of autos and getting compactors in each Ward. With all this in place, we can definitely match up with Indore and Bhopal in cleanliness in near future.
Another major aspect that we are trying to work on is the potholes. Works have started in all 65 Wards and hopefully Mysureans will enjoy smooth rides in coming months.
SOM: Can you reflect on your time in Mysuru?
Lakshmikantha Reddy: It’s been a mixed bag so far but I am enjoying it. Mysuru as a city is quite good, people are also hospitable.
SOM: What advice would you like to give youngsters who are apprehensive about Civil Services and think corporate jobs are more comfortable?
Lakshmikantha Reddy: It depends on what you look forward to in your life — if you are looking for a stable and peaceful life then people would prefer a corporate world but if you like taking up challenges, do something for the society and feel the job satisfaction at the end of the day, then Civil Services is apt. Youngsters need to understand that determination, dedication, discipline and hard work is the key to success in any field.
So this Reddy has the desire to be ordered about by corrupt Corporators and politicians!!
Does not matter what degrees he had before, still , he will be made to sit and listen to politicians in power-who often do not have no good education, telling him what to do , and when he does not obey, he will be transferred to the fish port in Mangalore to manage the export smelly dried fish boxes.
So, instead of planning a large company projects, with better pay and perks, this person is planning to fix pot holes and street lights! Not clever is it?
Kudos to Mr. Reddy for stepping out of his comfort zone and facing challenges. We need such young, educated and accomplished bureaucrats. Wishing him all the very best with a big thanks for serving the people.
If he wants free weekends to be with family, he just has to listen to politicians in power.
Why study engineering or MBA and land in civil service? You could have done just by doing some degree course and written IAS exam. That engineering seat and MBA seat would have gone to some other who needed. You wasted two precious degrees which would help some other people being an engineer or Management consultant.. Such a waste…
At least now, sponsor a student who aspired to become an engineer and another one who wants to study MBA and pay your dues…
Kudos to being an IAS but man you wasted two seats of well deserving people. No doubt major talent in India is going abroad.
I agree with comments that wasting chances of two aspirants ,but we cant help.Many switch may b due to unsatisfaction but it requires effirts to crack CAT and ICS
Hello posters
This MC and the DC could not hack it in their professions for which they studied, engineering, MBA and Medicine ( MMBS). To be a good engineer/business manager./doctor requires application of skills and taking risks believing in their skills and education. These 2 could not do it. That simple.
They chose the IAS cadre, because: a) the job is well paid and permanent b) involves saluting the minsters concerned and implicitly obeying what they say, without exercising the brain. The MCs and DCs are controlled by politicians with very little room for independent initiatives c) Good accommodation, servants, perks etc.. which takes a long time to achieve in other professions.
If you are honest, you will probably have a hard life working under corrupt politicians…If you are not honest, you made a good career decision, every IAS officer will make atleast 200 crores in bribe…which no pvt job can provide..Kudos!
Congrats to Reddy for joining civil services. Am sure his road ahead will be bumpy with corrupt/troubling politicians around. All the Best for him.
Kudos to Reddy on making it civil services. Wishing him all the best in his future bumpy road ahead dealing with corrupt/troubling politicians .
Congratulations sir, please come to raichur, raichur need lots of changes and developments,we (raichurian had lot of problems like roads, sanitation etc. We proud you as a raichurian
Great inspiration here.so honest and simple. Yet our people in the comments want to talk shit. This is why our country loses its talent to foreign countries. He has decided to take things to action and all you can do is sit and comment non sense without any credits. Grow up people.
Success in competitive exam is now depends on how much capital u hv. This certainly the failure of our education system. The above mentioned person gor success from IIM to IAS, because of educational investment. Alongside he waste two potential seats in Engineering and MBA. So, the question is does our engineers don’t have the confidence in their skill and profession, otherwise why they shift to administrative services, where normal graduation is preliminary conditions.
Instead of appreciating his achievement you are down playing. Don’t know what have you achieved other than basic education. MC & DC skills & their education is not a small task.
stop this kinnd of undermining
IAS is most prestigious and honorable profession, but considering politicians and political situation in India, these officers are treated like peons, unless they obey all the orders of corrupt politicians and their crooks, services at MNC and consultant major like KPMG, EY etc would have been better options to serve, which is more lucrative and it’s a ladder to be an top CEO in corporate world, rather than obey orders from corrupt politicians,
“When I was in the final year of Engineering, I decided to study further. I cracked the CAT and joined IIM, Ahmedabad, to study MBA. After completing MBA, I worked for Strategic Consulting from KPMG Advisory Services. While working on a couple of projects with Andhra Pradesh Government, I had the privilege to interact with senior IAS Officers on a daily basis which actually drew me towards Civil Services. I took up the UPSC exam and cleared it and today I am here before you.”
What part of this many of you didn’t understand?
Not many of them find what they want, right after they finish their schooling.
He very particularly has replied he had found his love for Societal cause and service after getting exposure from the one who was already working in the field.
And so what if he had studied engineering and Mba, you guys cuss about how the politicians are not being educated, and now an IAS officer is more qualified to you if he had gained a core knowledge in more than 1 field?
It’s one’s choice, and IAS isn’t only just administration of wards, later many become ministers, governers, president, and CMs.
For that you really need knowledge that is beyond administration.
For all those crying on his accomplishments, he has the means and the talent to pursue his interests.
If you feel he wasted 2 seats, shame on you to comment such nonsense on his choices.
Go get a life people
I think the knowledge and expertise he garnered by virtue of his dedicated and devoted academic life would definitely come in handy to root out the problems faced by the common citizens in our country. It’s an added advantage to have skilled people as bureaucrats. They can be more productive!! All the Best in ur journey forward!!
You can do a lot in civil service if you can make only some difference in the administrative vs legislative infrastructure ।Sugg Make the district area/ boundaries , coterminus with mp constituencies , MLA constituency with taluka area in terms of population and social categories to respond loyally। This mismatching makes administrative machinery unresponsive and timetaking । So also the police circles and revenue units are discrete all over India , Any digital man can correct this overmapping within seven days by a digital help
The will is missing । If you could make only this one difference or change in administrative machinery in your entire life or get it change then i can be say your choice of service is right otherwise you are here for your hidden needs of personality psyche many persons harbour in India unknowingly।
Pot holes?! Mysore has hardly any roads. His targets are tiny. How about foot paths? Anyone dates address these? No way.
Some one like this MC who completed engineering, and MBA and worked , should have known by then what he wanted. He was not a high school student then. Moving to a cadres like the IAS cadre which a History graduate can equally be happy, no specific skills except obeying politicians is required!
So many deluded posters thinking that in India, merit based on knowledge and hard work succeeds, rather than money even in IAS competitive exams! In India, it is money, lots of it ,buys anything,
Most posters assume that an IAS officer is left to work independently of politicians. By law, set up by Sirdar Patel, they are merely administrators controlled by the ministers.
Filling pot holes and ensuring street lighting? Hardly any MBA -related skills needed! Road repair contractors do the pot hole filling and the electricity board engineers wil ensure street lighting problems are fixed.
Move on.
You are a pathetically sad and sadist person..
Donor roam in social sphere to pollute it..
Mr Reddy’s idealism and goals are laudable. But sooner than later ALL bureaucrats succumb to the indecent and unethical pressures imposed on them by corrupt politicians and become corrupt themselves. Our public admin structure is designed, and reinforced, in that manner by self-serving, venal politicians/lawmakers. ‘Service to society’ becomes ‘service to the corrupt politician’. The experience of the recent courageous and brave DC (?) Mrs Sindhuri is a case in point; she was harassed and “punished” by a transfer but the rogue arrogant politician (who should have been in jail) is wagging his tail and continuing to loot the public and enrich himself without a conscience or a hint of legal consequence to him.
I hope Mr Reddy turns out to be different, in the mould of Mrs Sindhuri, not just in Mysore but in the ignoble and self-aggrandising career he has chosen
How do you know @Anands, Mrs Sindhuri is honest and not corrupt. Just a hearsay is it? No one is in India, if he/she is an IAS officer,, who wants promotion is squeaky clean. Mere delusion.
For all the cynics crying sour grapes, learn to acknowledge and admire some one with courage and determination to dive in to the cesspool of administration and politics
@boregowda – Most of these posters who criticize every article seem to be either the Paragon of all virtues who are Superior to all the human kind or totally frustrated souls! They need to realize that , not everybody is handed over a great life without putting a lot of hard work, in every profession. So, at least they must show the humility to accept it! As per their definition, I belong to a family of coolies (who excelled in engineering and medical field), The IAS officers joined IAS because they could not succeed in their professional field. The elected representatives are useless because useless people elected them . So, I wonder what kind of democracy they want? May be they only need to vote and nobody else should have that right so that they can have all their choice!
All the very best Sir
Looking forward for a well organised clean & smooth Mysuru.
Nothing is like wasting seats as so many people are commenting..
He earned them, now he is leaving that field..
Working with politicians, you are bragging on the politicians who are chosen by you only..
Any way, still IAS cadre has lot of power and discretion to restrain politicians and do only needful work…And come-on,politicians are never good or bad, but it’s also a very challenging job..They are available for people by 24 by 7, those who all comment here on this fellow and politicians, do an experiment, make yourself working and meeting people for the whole day..Corruption is a different ball game..
Many in civil service engineers or doctors. I met an IPS officer who is medical practitioner.
If serving society is the goal, it can not be set after doing multiple graduations. It spoils the chances of others
For someone to be an engineer n IIM graduate n then finally IAS is something bro be really appreciated – not easy to give up a lucrative job with all its trappings.
People will comment about him not being successful in earlier friends r having to listen to politicians – the steely nerves to get things done for the people is indeed to be applauded.
If people ignore the government jobs/defence & other similar jobs…then who will run the country – the people who take pot shots sitting in their sofa’s….🤔
He has also joined the line of power hungry bureaucrats to enjoy the freebies underhand and trying to earn a false popularity by doing nothing for the country which otherwise he could have done as a true engineer. Again a run of the mill govt job …nothing more
His idea of priortising projects on the roads and steet lights is commendable. Thus accidents and thereby the loss of limbs and life can be avoided emphasising the security to the people. If it is properly carried on with inspections with the concerned HODs there will be no need of helments and thus helping a common man of his finances.
New broom sweeps well.
In this service I doubt him bringing society change, as under corrupt political system these are words good to crack interview not in real world. Anyways talented no doubt.
@Anup
I have heard of a person called Anup in Mysiru, who spent 2 days in a police lock up, and wasgiven good thrashing for teasing female students near a college. You seem to fit that person’s description, as he used similar words
An engg deg & an MBA is always an asset. It can only enhance his output . An IAS job is always a challenge in our society and now it has become even risky. If luck favours him , He can always do real service to society. Wish him all the luck.
@boregowda
What a stupid remark you posted! Exercise your brain ( if you have one!) before you post.
There is no use of IAS officers to poor people, infact they don’t know what is IAS. This just powerful corruption job to make crores and enjoy highest grade govt job.
What a shame, wasting two seats and then getting into civil services and saying that if you wanted stable like go corporate, but if you want to serve society and face challenges join IAS, b******t, don’t make a fool of others, you are a self serving person looking only for cushy life, else you would have made your mark in either engineering it business. But no, you’ll just find the ways to make the money even if you don’t want to be part of it, for that’s the system.
So much for love for society, ha!
Appreciate Lakshmikanta Reddy.We need good people in IAS too. An element of National service is present in his present role.All my good wishes to him.
Firstly, People commenting on 2 seats have to realize nobody has a crystal ball to look into the future to know he will crack IAS
Secondly, if he wants to move to corporate he can do it today also. He really seems loving to do what he does and people can go figure instead of venting their frustration
Thirdly, if an intelligent person is into IAS, he/She can do much more good to the society than being another computer engineer or getting limited to a corporate. It’s ok if 2 seats were wasted !
Very inspiring journey and we need people like Mr Reddy in the society who has come out of comfort zone and aiming to bring changes to the society. We should support Mr Reddy in his journey and make Mysuru great place.
Wonderful work bro ..
Congratulations on u r success ..
May god help u reach the most heights of success and honour … Ameen
Don’t forget us bro …. 😊
I am really confused on some of the comments about wasting 2 seats in Engg. & Managrment.
One is entitled to take a decision at every cross road of a carrier path. Since he did not buy those 2 seats by paying bribes , he definitely did not deprived any body of competance
Kudos to the commissioner for choosing public service !
SOM should edit and disable disgusting comments !
Kudos Reddy sir
at last we as a raichurian feel immense pleasure.
we are seeing first time from our district in such a great position
You don’t know u wil crack UPSC or not 100%. So u shd have a stable degree on the background and then try civils. Nowadays IAS officials are under too much control of politicians. If they don’t listen to them, they wil b thrown out to an useless posting. After all they r also human beings and have their own family. Mr. Laxmikant reddy did excellent work at Raichur as a CEO especially education and health sector.We need more and more such dynamic IAS officers 👍
Congrats to you and should encourage more people from rural and Semi urban areas to achieve such heights .
The argument of him wasting his engineering and MBA degrees is not something I agree with . The kind of experience and expertise that he can bring to Indian administration is something which can be unparalleled .
The very idea of lateral entry is to bring in subject matter expertise and diverse experiences to enhance the value of administrative quality .
It is not necessary that all IAS or civil servants should be of some plain background or a homogenous background.
An engineer would think differently from a political science graduate and an MBA would think differently from an architect .
Civil services is a background neutral field which is open to people of all backgrounds !
It is the culmination of administrative experience of highest order !
Congrats to this guy !
Wow I used to hear about how less patriotic the South Indians are and now this comment section just goes on to prove the same. Being an IAS officer , to walk in the shoes of greats like Lal Bahadur Shastri and be a driver of change requires a lot of courage, and if we stay the way you guys are, this country would never produce great military officers, bureaucrats, police because everyone would start thinking about the comfort of their private sector jobs. What is the fun in an outsourced job anyways ? Your job role in the west is churning out 4x your salary in the same firm and who do you think is going to bridge that gap ?
@Utkarsh Singh Mr. North Indian, first of all why are you here, when you should be a patriot and developing the so called Bihar and UP..?
All South Indian states are generating more revenues than north states so that UP bhayyas and Biharis can have some decent roti kapada aur makhan.
Utkarsh Singh aka Mr. North Indian, first of all why are you here, when you should be a patriot and developing the so called Bihar and UP..?
All South Indian states are generating more revenues than north states so that UP bhayyas and Biharis can have some decent roti kapada aur makhaan.