Midnight’s children & their children: Vadodara

He graduated from MS University with a B.Sc degree in Botany. ‘‘The spirit during those Nehruvian years was such that many would give up everything and join social services. Initially, I took to teaching in a primary school while I completed my LL.B. Then I got a job with Bank of Baroda,’’ he says.

But destiny had willed something else for Trivedi. In 1972, he passed the Gujarat Public Service Commission and became a government servant. In 1988, he was promoted from Gujarat Administrative Service to Indian Administrative Service ex-cadre.

‘‘For a person like me who has seen grinding poverty in rural areas, it was a real opportunity to work in the districts. The highlight of this was my posting as district development officer of Jamnagar from 1988 to 1990. I had a great opportunity to plan and implement rural development schemes and work among the people there which was very satisfying,’’ says Trivedi.

‘‘There were turbulent times when as collector of Surat a suspected plague broke out and floods hit the city two years later,’’ he adds. But Trivedi was yet to reach the zenith of his career. ‘‘For a person who started as a primary school teacher, to become the chairman of the GSEB was a dream come true and the highest point of my career. It was exhilarating and I think I made a useful contribution when I was the chairman. That is my biggest achievement,’’ he says.

‘‘In college, political debates used to be hot with discussions on the pros and cons of Indian democracy. I think, democracy is India’s greatest achievement and its biggest victory. For a generation like mine, which has seen the first turbulent years of independence, only democracy could have provided such opportunities. Otherwise, after 32 years of service, how could I have become the chairman of the education board after beginning as a primary teacher. This is the victory of democracy,’’ Trivedi says.

Trivedi is now Commissioner (Transport, Gujarat).