Indian Food Safety Hero Featured In New York Times

Oftentimes, bureaucrats in India make headlines after getting caught for taking bribes and accumulating huge wealth through the abuse of their official position. But, some are an exception because they display utmost honesty and integrity in discharging their powers.

And, Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe is one of those few bureaucrats. After capturing the attention of commoners across the country with his aggressive crackdown on food outlets flouting basic hygiene norms, Tukaram has now gained global spotlight by featuring on the front page of renowned international outlet The New York Times.

The renowned American magazine described the senior IAS officer as a true rock star for his nonstop raids on illegal kitchen activities and poor hygiene standards across restaurant businesses. It published a detailed story highlighting how food lovers and general public commended his efforts to ensure that eateries and restaurants maintain basic standards of food safety.

The New York Times specifically mentioned daring action taken by Tukaram on Mumbai’s iconic 100-year-old Olympia Coffee House for severe violations. It also stated that Mundhe’s strict enforcement drive extended to store warehouses operated by delivery platforms like Blinkit and Zepto to ensure safe grocery supply for public consumers.

It is very rare that an Indian IAS officer has drawn the attention of an international media house. He is a 2005-batch IAS officer with a strong reputation for adopting a zero tolerance policy towards wrongdoers in his two decade career despite getting more than 25 transfers in his service so far.

Reacting to this honour, Mundhe stated that his main goal is simply ensuring clean food for every common citizen.