Mrs. Achala Moulik

Career, Achievements, Awards & Family background

Achala Moulik has had a dual career both as a member of the Indian Administrative Service and as an acclaimed author of books on cultural and political history of India, Russia, Italy and Spain and a play on the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. Three of her five novels have been best sellers and all have won critical acclaim.

Achala's play "Pushkin's Last Poem" was performed to standing ovation in Moscow and St Petersburg during the Festival of India in Russia in 2009. Earlier the play had been performed at the Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi during the Year of Russia in India.

In recognition of her work on Russian culture and history Achala Moulik received the prestigious Pushkin Medal from the Russian President in 2011. The Russian Ministry of Culture awarded Achala the Sergey Yesenin Prize in 2013 for promoting awareness of Russian studies in India.

In 2023 the Leo Tolstoy International Peace Foundation invited Achala Moulik to be member of the International Jury to select winner of the newly instituted Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize. The Jury comprises of distinguished men and women from Russia, China, South Africa, Argentina, Japan, Kazakhstan, and France, who have in their own way contributed to international peace and understanding. The Leo Tolstoy Peace Foundation felt that through her books on world history and civilizations, Achala Moulik has brought greater awareness of people in many nations about other cultures and traditions.

In September 2024 the first Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize was awarded to the African Union which has struggled peacefully for freedom from colonial rule in Africa and removal of the pernicious doctrine of Apartheid that prevailed in parts of Africa by colonial rulers. Achala attended the prize-winning ceremony at a glittering event at the famous Bolshoy Theatre in Moscow.

Background

Achala Moulik was born in Calcutta to a family of scholars, civil servants and diplomats. As her father was a member of the Indian diplomatic service she had her school education in Washington, New York and London. Thereafter she studied Economics, History, Political Science, International Law and Relations at University College, (now called a global university) of London University. During this time she used to attend public lectures at the School of Slavonic Studies and developed a keen interest in Russia. After graduating she lived in Rome with her parents and studied the Renaissance civilization in Italy.

Aged 22, she entered the Indian Administrative Service where she served in various capacities in both Government of India and Government of Karnataka. She served as Addl. D.G and then Director General, Archaeological Survey of India from 1991 – 1996. In Karnataka she served as Chairman Bangalore Development Authority, Additional Chief Secretary from 1996 to 1999. She was posted in 2000 posted as Secretary, Elementary Education and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

Secretary, Elementary Education & Literacy, Government of India. (2000 – 2001)

• She and her team formulated the details of and implemented the Education for All Program (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) It is the first integrated national elementary education program encompassing all children in the age group of six to fourteen which has set a target of universalization of elementary education by 2010. This program received approval of the Union Cabinet in November 2000.
• She also helped formulate details and implemented the Alternative and Innovative Education and the Education Guarantee Scheme for those who have been left out of the formal education system. Details were evolved for the constitutional amendment which would make elementary education a fundamental right for all children in the age group of six to fourteen. During her tenure the Adult Literacy program was implemented through the state level literacy missions, the Jana Shikshan Samsthan, and vocational education centers for youths and adults in the age group of fifteen to thirty-five. The work of the National Literacy Mission which she supervised and monitored is aimed at removing illiteracy by 2010 and to provide the infrastructure for sustainable literacy for adults.
• She toured extensively in all the Indian states to inspect the Midday Meal Program, held a national workshop where both the union and states education and child welfare departments participated. The crucial importance of the school midday mean program was discussed and recommendations made. Thereafter the Minister for Human Resource Development wrote to all Chief Ministers asking them to adopt the midday meal program. Shortly afterwards, the Supreme Court of India has given a directive to the same effect. Details were formulated for the expansion of the District Primary Education Program (DPEP) in some of the states. Special attention was focussed on teachers training program through the District Institutes for Teachers Education (DIET) since this is an important component of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
• Presented the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan at the annual conference of UNESCO In November 2000 where it was adopted as a model for UNESCO's initiative Education for All.

Addl. D.G. & Director General,. Archaeological Survey of India. (June 1991 - 1996)

• Streamlined the administrative machinery of ASI.
• Created avenues for promotion of officials.
• Organized training programs for officials both in India and abroad.
• Organized numerous cultural exchange programs for ASI officials
• Organized international seminars in collaboration with UNESCO where ASI officials and foreign conservationists participated.
• Organized and participated in Conferences on the Silk Route, Stone Conservation, Preservation of Structural and Archaeological Heritage in collaboration with UNESCO.
• Collaborated with Fondacao Orientale of Portugal for undertaking joint projects of restoration of monuments in Goa. Held seminar for Preservation of Monuments and the first Indo- Portuguese Seminar on conservation of the monuments of Goa.
• Worked in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Government of Cambodia in the Restoration of Angkor Wat. Organised the team and monitored the progress for four years.
• Was member of the Sri Lanka Cultural Fund to assess restoration of monuments in Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle.
• Negotiated with OECF and Japan Trust Fund for the Satdhara-Sanchi Conservation Projects that was successfully implemented.
• Initiated a large number of conservation programs both for major monuments and the lesser-known ones. Obtained a larger financial allocation during my tenure for conservation works.
• Publication of reports on current conservation projects, current excavations, and publications of academic and archaeological subjects were completed.
• Personally initiated restoration works for monuments in Jammu and Kashmir- at Martand and Avantipur during the worst years of militancy.
• Initiated conservation and repair works in the Monasteries or Gomphas of Ladakh in collaboration with Shri Mohandas Moses, the Adviser to the Governor of J & K in charge of Ladakh Affairs.
• Helped to prepare the first technical report on the findings at Ram Mandir - Babri Masjid site after the demolition that was presented before the Supreme Court.
• Introduced study of Marine Archaeology for ASI officials in the Institute of Archaeology.
• Represented India at UNESCO and SAARC conferences on restoration of monuments.

Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka. (January 1999 - June 2000)

• Monitored all externally aided development projects - in the sectors of education, nutrition, power, irrigation, health, rural and urban development. I was Chairman of the Committee on Eradication of Child Labour that made its recommendations to the Government.
• I negotiated with the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank, for funding Karnataka's development projects.

Commissioner of Public Instruction, Government of Karnataka. (April 1980 - June 1981)

• Administered the main directorates and organizations dealing with various aspects of school education - Directorate of Primary Education, Directorate of Secondary Education, Secondary School Examination Board, Directorate of Pre-University Education, State Teachers Education, Research & Training.
• Supervised and monitored the Midday Meal Program throughout the State as an incentive to enrolment as well as to supplement nutrition.
• Commenced new courses in vocational training in pre-university classes.

Secretary, Food and Transport, Government Of Karnataka. (June 1984 - August 1985)

• Introduced the subsidized food project in 1985.
• Took action to eliminate about 75,000 bogus ration cards from ration shops. Formulated and introduced the subsidized food project in 1985.
• Formulated and implemented new bus routes in unserved areas

Chairman, Bangalore Development Authority. (June 1996 - July 1997)

• Formulated and implemented Ring Road project of Bangalore.
• Planned ten layouts under BDA. Finalized 90% pending allocations for site allotments.

Positions Held In Personal Capacity

• Guest Lecturer at the Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles: - September 1996
• Guest Lecturer to speak on Dialogues of Civilization at ICCROM - UNESCO in 2009.
• Guest Lecturer at Sweden Foreign Ministry to speak on Rabindranath Tagore on the Centenary of his receiving the Nobel Prize for literature.
• Member, UNESCO Working Group On Education For All: - 2000 - 2001.
• Director, United States Education Foundation for India- 2004 - 2005.
• Executive Member, International Committee of Monuments and Sites for SAARC Region. (1993 - 1996).
• Member of ICOMOS Committee for Preservation of Architectural Heritage: 1995 - 96.
• Trustee, Board of Indian Museum, Calcutta- 2002 - 2005.
• Trustee, Board of National Book Trust- 2002 - 2005.
• Chairman, Indian National Committee of ICOMOS- 1994 - 96.
• Chairman, Task Force for Long Term Preservation of Hampi- 2000 - 2001.
• Special Director for Bureau of Financial & Industrial Reconstruction- 2002 - 2005.

Experience in International Cooperation and Negotiation

• While serving as Education Secretary of India, DG ASI, Addl. Chief Secretary, Bangalore Development Authority, Secretary Energy & Environment of Karnataka I had wide experience in international cooperation and negotiation with - *UNESCO, *World Bank, *European Union, *DFID UK, *Sri Lanka Cultural Fund, *Fondacao Orientale of Portugal, *OECF and Japan Trust Fund. In all these negotiations I ensured that India received maximum benefit from these organizations.