Farmer's son who took to bureaucracy with ease

IAS officer D K Ravi took no time to get going in the Commercial Taxes department. His bold decisions in the department had encouraged the lower-rung officials, and e-sugama, an initiative to detect vehicles plying evading tax, has been unearthing major cases.

 A bright student, Ravi, son of Kariyappa, a farmer, and Gowramma, had completed his BSc (agri) from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. He completed MSc (agri) from Indian Agricultural Research Institute in Delhi.

He was selected as sub-inspector of Excise department and was simultaneously studying for UPSC examination.

“Ravi was staying at a rented house near GKVK and rigorously pursuing UPSC exam. He had exhausted all his leaves and was under pressure to get back to work in the Excise department. He had chosen the distilleries division with the objective of preparing for the IAS exam. One day, all of a sudden he quit the job and the same year, 2008, he cleared IAS,” one of his batchmates said.

A stubborn, upright officer, Ravi never compromised on issues pertaining to government land encroachment. His efforts to clear encroachments were lauded by the public.

Ravi worked as Assistant Commissioner in Koppal and Kalaburagi before being posted as DC, Kolar. As Additional Commissioner (Enforcement) of Commercial Taxes, Ravi had led raids on several real estate companies for tax evasion. He had been studying various housing projects in the City for long-pending tax dues. Incidentally, Deccan Herald had contacted Ravi on his cell at 6 pm on Monday for some official information in regard to the recent raid on a real estate firm and his number was busy.

He was born on June 10, 1979, at Doddakoppalu, a village in Kunigal taluk of Tumakuru district, in a poor farmer’s family. Ravi completed his primary education at the government school at Doddakoppalu and passed SSLC from government high school at Aramane Honnamachanahalli in the taluk. He studied pre-university course in Kunigal and later came to Bengaluru for higher studies.

Ravi’s brother Ramesh is an agriculturist, while sister Bharathi is married and lives in Bengaluru.  “Despite holding a high position, Ravi used to mix with people. He used to come to the village regularly. He never lost courage and was not a person who would commit suicide,” said Venkatesh, who stays close to Ravi’s house in Doddakoppalu.