Ashok Khemka, a prominent IAS officer from the 1991 Haryana cadre, is renowned for his unwavering integrity and commitment to exposing corruption. His career has been marked by numerous transfers, often following his investigations into high-profile scandals.

Wiki/Biography

Ashok Khemka was born on Friday, April 30, 1965 (age 58 as of 2023), in Kolkata, West Bengal. His zodiac sign is Taurus. He completed his primary education at St. Xavier’s Collegiate School, Kolkata. He earned a B.Tech in Computer Science Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in 1988, followed by a PhD in Computer Science from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. His academic achievements extend to an MBA in Business Administration & Finance and an MA in Economics from IGNOU. He successfully cleared the IAS examination in 1991.

Physical Appearance

• Height (approx.): 5′ 8″
• Weight (approx.): 75 kg
• Eye Colour: Black
• Hair Colour: Black

Family, Caste & Wife

Ashok Khemka hails from a Marwari family. While details about his parents remain limited, he is married to Jyoti Khemka and they have two sons, Ganesh and Srinath.

Career

Joining the 1991 Haryana cadre IAS batch, Khemka underwent two years of training before his first posting as a Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM). His insistence on receiving all unusual or unofficial requests from superiors or politicians in writing led to numerous reports to his seniors and the Chief Minister, contributing significantly to his frequent transfers.

Despite government directives mandating a minimum two-year tenure for IAS officers in a posting, Khemka faced repeated transfers. His vocal opposition to questionable contracts and suspicious deals, often ignored, led to consistent pressure. Despite advice from colleagues to overlook these issues, he remained steadfast in his commitment to ethical conduct.

His cancellation of a land deal mutation involving Robert Vadra’s firm and DLF in 2012 brought him significant media attention. He highlighted numerous financial irregularities within the deal.

His 52nd transfer on March 3, 2019, and subsequent transfers highlighted the challenges he faced. His postings rarely exceeded 18 months, with the shortest lasting only 11 days.

As of October 22, 2021, he received his 54th transfer order in his nearly 30-year career, becoming Principal Secretary for the Haryana Science and Technology Department.

Controversies

Khemka’s cancellation of a land deal mutation between Robert Vadra and DLF in October 2012 triggered significant controversy. Accusations of political motivation were levied against him, though he maintained his actions were solely based on his professional duties.

A Haryana government committee, formed following Khemka’s allegations, ultimately exonerated Robert Vadra while filing charges against Khemka for damaging Vadra’s reputation and illegally canceling the land deal.

In 2017, Khemka publicly criticized the appointment of a retired IAS officer, previously involved in the Vadra-DLF committee, as a Real Estate Regulator. He viewed this as a reward for the clean chit given to Vadra.

His 51st transfer in 2017, placing him under Haryana’s Sports Minister, Anil Vij, as Principal Secretary in the Youth Affairs and Sports Department, led to further commentary on his career trajectory.

Facts

Here’s a summary of notable facts about Ashok Khemka:

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