Today is Earth Day. Google has created a doodle that is signifying climate change in the past 10 years. India along with the world has pledged to reduce the effect of climate change on the Earth by cutting carbon emissions and utilizing renewable sources of energy etc. India's bureaucracy is also making efforts to save our climate. Today we would talk about such an IAS officer who became the first of her professional kind to go on an expedition to Antarctica and has brought back notes on Climate Change, spreading the word and making efforts to combat it since then.
Charulata Somal is a 2012 Batch IAS officer who has not only conquered the ice continent but also has worked for climate change in our country. Know about her struggles, her life story, how she cracked UPSC Civil Services Exam and her efforts for climate change here.
IAS Charulata Somal: Current Position & UPSC Preparation
Charulata Somal is currently posted as the Deputy Commissioner, Kodagu. She is a 2012 batch IAS officer who is posted in the Karnataka cadre.
Charulata Somal was born and brought up in Mumbai. She was an ambitious girl since childhood. She was born on 7th March 1988. Charulata completed her graduation, BA Hons. from St Stephens College, Delhi University. She passed her graduation with First Division there. She said in an interview, " I was inspired or rather, coaxed by my parents to write the UPSC exams post-college. Discussions with my parents over a few months helped me arrive at the decision."
After graduation, Charulata started her UPSC Preparation. She joined a coaching institute to help herself and later shifted to self-study. She says to all the aspirants, "It is okay not to know something. So when you do not know the answer to something, do not feel bad."
Charulata Somal's efforts paid off in UPSC CSE 2011 when she became an IAS officer.
IAS Charulata Somal's UPSC Administrative Journey:
Her first posting was in Bengaluru working in the Chief Minister's Secretariat. She also learned Kannada to communicate with her staff. Charulata started off as the Assistant Commissioner in Kundapura. This was her first job in life. She had never worked previously. Later, she shifted to CEO of Zilla Panchayat in Kodagu.
How Did Charulata Develop An Interest In Nature and Climate Change?
After being posted as the CEO of Zilla Panchayat in Kodagu, Charulata was introduced to the Forest Department of the area. She lived and worked being surrounded by nature. This was when she developed an interest in nature and its activities. She got the chance to go on an expedition to Antarctica twice in those days.
IAS Charulata Somal: Combating Climate Change
Antarctica Expedition: 1st IAS officer to conquer the ice continent
Going to Antarctica was an eye-opener for Charulata and she returned to India only to use the knowledge and experience gathered from there for the country's and state's benefit. Somal was one of the 140 trekkers from 30 countries to go on the Antarctic expedition. There were 17 Indians in the team, including IAS Charulata Somal. She was, however, the only IAS officer at that time. This was the largest contingent from the country, she said.
Informing about her expedition, she said, "we were chosen from among 7,000 applicants across the globe. I am proud to be the first IAS officer to have taken an expedition to Antarctica." She stayed in the ice continent from March 13 to 26, 2016.
She is one of the IAS officers who use information gathered by them to work for the benefit of mankind. In her case, she has been working for the environment.
Climate Change is for Real @robertswan2041 https://t.co/9akPXY05fA
— Charulata Somal (@charulata73) October 26, 2017
She said in an interview with a leading daily, "As an official, we have certain limitations. But in my personal capacity, I am conducting awareness camps for schoolchildren on how to save the last wilderness on earth, the impact of climate change on natural resources and how the Cauvery basin, which is the prime source of water for Bengaluru and other areas, can be saved."
Take a look at a few tweets which show how Charulata Somal is working for nature and climate in India:
Training for health workers and staff in Taluk panchayat office Virajpet #KodaguFloods pic.twitter.com/NzsGEBWJsv
— Deputy Commissioner Kodagu (@DCKodagu) August 21, 2018
#kodagurecovers pic.twitter.com/yi39U7p3gp
— Deputy Commissioner Kodagu (@DCKodagu) August 22, 2018
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