Why some Indian civil servants become heroes for doing their jobs
In a system often marked by red tape and exhausting delays, officers seen to be following the rules get adulation.
Among the thousands of civil servants who keep India's vast government machinery running, a small number become unlikely public figures every few years.
The commissioner of Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration, he has led a series of enforcement drives since taking charge in May. His teams have inspected restaurants and other food businesses, uncovering pest infestations, poor hygiene and expired food.
He has also highlighted large gaps between what hospitals pay for common medical supplies and what patients are charged.
But an officer praised for enforcing rules can also face criticism for applying them too rigidly without taking into account ground realities.