Sushant Gaurav, an IAS officer, has made headlines for his groundbreaking work as the district collector of Gumla, Jharkhand, which has earned him a case study feature at Harvard Business School. When Gaurav took charge of Gumla, the district was plagued by extreme poverty, with 90% of marginal farmers dependent on rain-fed rice cultivation, the most water-intensive crop. Using his knowledge of sustainable farming and the United Nations’ 2023 “International Year of Millets” initiative, Gaurav introduced Ragi, a drought-resistant millet, to the farmers.
Through the National Seed Corporation, he facilitated high-quality seeds and promoted scientific farming techniques, resulting in a 300% increase in yield. In just 18 months, Ragi cultivation expanded from 1,300 acres to 30,000 acres, earning Gumla the title of ‘Ragi Capital of India.’ Gaurav also empowered women through self-help groups to establish Ragi processing units, producing one tonne of Ragi-based products daily, including nutritious laddus and snacks.
Gaurav’s holistic approach extended beyond agriculture.
His initiatives included combating malnutrition, introducing health check-ups in Anganwadis, upgrading school IT facilities, opening free gyms, and implementing sustainable irrigation methods like solar lift systems. His innovative efforts earned him the “Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration” in 2023, making him the first recipient from an eastern state. Harvard Business School is now studying his work as a model for impactful public administration.
