Serving people is the ultimate goal of every officer but it is not every one’s cup of tea to be selfless, fair, efficient, compassionate and competent as one can. “We should reinforce the ‘service’ aspect in Civil Services by constantly training ourselves to become as selfless, fair, efficient, compassionate and competent as we can. That is our tiny role in the grand scheme of things, regardless of the service one belongs to. Each service has a crucial role to play in the growth and development of the country,” said Raghav Gupta, an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the 2012 batch, in an exclusive interview to Rajeev Ranjan Roy of Bureaucrats India.

Hailing from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Raghav secured an all-India rank of 102 in the 2011 Civil Services Examination and was posted at Mumbai for five years in various capacities. He has been posted as Deputy Director of Income-tax (Investigation) in Kanpur since 2019. He completed his graduation in science from St Stephen’s College, Delhi in 2009,  Master’s in Taxation and Business Laws from NALSAR University, Hyderabad and completed Advanced Diploma in International Taxation from Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT), U.K. Read The Full Interview Here!  

How has been your journey as an IRS officer so far? What are key career milestones you have achieved till to date?

My journey as an IRS officer has been exciting: full of challenges and learning experiences. It is a proud feeling to know that I play a small role in revenue collection, which is essential for government funding and functioning, across departments, policies, states and levels. Some key milestones include being posted in corporate assessment, Investigation Wing at both Mumbai and Kanpur, Headquarters (Vigilance) and Benami Prohibition Unit.

It is a matter of great pride that you were the only Indian officer to have been selected from 56 Civil Servants globally for the OECD Managing Financial Investigations training programme. Please tell us the highlights of this training?

The OECD International tax Crime Academy course was hosted by Guardia di Finanza, Ostia, Italy and was a rigorous 10-day training program with valuable inputs from experts across the globe. Besides actively interacting with the instructors, I took part in several breakout sessions where participants would discuss case studies and problems posed by the instructors in small groups. This gave a chance to think on our feet and collaborate with participants having similar as well as vastly different tax, legal and investigative systems. I also gave a country presentation on ‘Global Investigation Challenges’ which generated a good deal of discussion.

You are also the first IRS officer in the country to clear the Advanced Professional Certification in International Taxation (APCIT) from the International Board of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD), Amsterdam. Will you please tell us how this certificate helps you as an IRS officer?

The APCIT was a six-month comprehensive course with special focus on contemporary topics related to international taxation and transfer pricing. In the current global tax landscape, we are seeing rapid developments across countries and a gradual alignment to coherent and consistent best practices. The course has helped me appreciate these relevant changes, both theoretically as well as through practical case studies.

You are currently posted as Deputy Director, Investigation. How robust is our investigation mechanism? Does it meet the global yardsticks?

In this regard, I am happy to share that the recent OECD training which I undertook showed that India is one of the leading countries in developing best practices and techniques of investigation which are being followed globally. We are also actively participating in capacity building of developing nations such as those in Africa and Latin America via the transnational Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) program.

You are also a nature lover. You have won the first prize in the World Wetlands Day photography contest organized by the Zoological Survey of India, Maaty Biodiversity Conservation and Societal Research Foundation, Dehradun. How did you get attracted towards nature photography?

As a child I remember my grandfather taking me to the Kanpur Zoo. Since then, I have been fascinated with wildlife. This naturally turned into wildlife photography about ten years back when I was a member of Wildlife Society at St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi. I began writing for various magazines and newspapers including The Hindu, Saevus, Sanctuary Asia and others. My photograph was chosen as cover for the internationally recognized “Hornbill” magazine published by Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) as well. I am also part of a Great Indian Bustard (GIB) program as an Advisory Member of ERDS Foundation and have completed an Ornithology course from the Cornell Lab, Conservation courses from National Geographic and the Red List course from IUCN. I have also conducted several wildlife conservation photography webinars for colleges across India including IIT Kanpur, IIT Guwahati, Mt. Carmel College and Centre for Environment Education (CEE), Ahmedabad. Through my writing, webinars, and photography, I hope to spread awareness about wildlife diversity and conservation.

How do you balance your professional and personal life?

Following one’s passion is the key to a healthy mental and physical life. On weekends I venture into wildlife sanctuaries or simply take out my old telescope to gaze at planets or write a poem. The next week I am charged for work, fresh and de-stressed. In an ever fast-paced and convoluted life, we often forget the importance of smiling without reason and I think hobbies and passions are central to giving us that joy which increases efficiency at work as well. For me, finding the balance between work and personal life is not a choice, it is a necessity!

Any best memory which you would like to share with our readers as an IRS officer?

When we were undergoing training at National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT), Nagpur, our batch had the opportunity to call on the Hon’ble President of India in 2013. It was my privilege to have anchored that meeting in the Rashtrapati Bhawan and remains one of my most cherished memories. It was certainly one of the proudest moments.

A lighter question! It is said that very few have their first choice to be an IRS officer. Usually everyone wishes to be an IFS, IAS or IPS officer? What is your take? What’s your advice to those who wish to clear the Civil Services examination?

This takes me back to the UPSC interview preparation times! I often say to future servants, never let the idealism at the beginning of the journey decompose to cynicism. Preserving that innocence helps us remain intellectually young and come up with innovative solutions and more importantly, to have the patience to listen to a variety of perspectives. Only with our positive mindset can we encourage others to think and act positively. That is the key role of civil servants. We should reinforce the ‘service’ aspect in Civil Service by constantly training ourselves to become as selfless, fair, efficient, compassionate and competent as we can. That is our tiny role in the grand scheme of things, regardless of the service one belongs to. Each service has a crucial role to play in the growth and development of the country.

That said, being an IRS officer is one of the best things that has happened to me. It has given me a chance to serve the nation, to be a better human being, to grow personally and professionally, to make my family proud and to be able to inspire youth and help them achieve their dreams. For future UPSC aspirants: Results are not really in your hands. So give your best shot, push yourself to be the best version of you, work hard and work smart!