An IAS couple, a course in Cambridge, a photo on mathematical bridge, and an engaging Twitter commentary

Usha and Arvind Padhee

WHEN this Odisha cadre IAS couple of 1996 batch visited UK for a short training programme in Cambridge University earlier this month, their followers in social media— many from their home state Odisha — were excited to find every little detail of their visit, from landing at London’s Heathrow airport to taking leadership lessons from Professor Harold Chee and then taking the photo of India's first licensed pilot JRD Tata at Air India lounge of the airport before taking the return flight to New Delhi — all thanks to their updates in Twitter. Usha Padhee, a joint secretary in civil aviation ministry and Arvind Padhee, a joint secretary in the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers, along with a few other bureaucrats…

58 IAS of 1996 batch empanelled as GoI joint secretary; Full List

AS many as 58 IAS officers of 1996 batch including prime minister Nadendra Modi’s private secretary and Gujarat cadre IAS Rajeev Topno have figured in the first list of officers empanelled as joint secretary or joint secretary equivalent at the Centre. Here is the full list:

Know Your Babu: 10 things about Odisha’s new chief secretary Gokul Chandra Pati

Gokul Chandra Pati, a 1978 batch IAS, is becoming the new Odisha chief secretary. After the Centre had given its nod to repatriate the officer, currently working as union defence production secretary, there have been lots of excitement in Odisha babudom. State tourism and culture secretary Arvind Padhee on Tuesday tweeted like this:

Odisha IAS Arvind Padhee turns a smart salesman to package his state. How?

MEET this officer who describes himself a “born optimist”. And on April 23, this is what he tweeted: “Am now in one of the hottest places in #Odisha this summer. The warmth n 'no-double speak' attitude of d 'Samalpurias' give pure delight. :).” Arvind Padhee, who is a 1996 batch Odisha cadre IAS officer and secretary to the state’s tourism and culture department, passionately uses his social media handles to promote…