Vejayanantham TR’s journey from software development to the Indian Forest Service is a story about finding a form of public service that fits one’s interests. This profile records his experience and posting as described in 2020.
A love of nature, like music and art, can connect people across social and political boundaries.
From Software Development to Public Service
Vejayanantham was born and brought up in Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu. He studied computer science engineering at Anna University in Chennai, then worked as a software developer for about a year and a half.
His interest in service began in childhood, influenced by his father and uncle, both Group C employees. When his father worked with a tribal self-help group in the Kolli Hills, Vejayanantham sometimes accompanied him. He was then in Class V.
He watched women process honey and other local produce and saw how support in selling their products could help families earn an income. Those experiences left a lasting impression: serving people could bring a kind of satisfaction that a job title alone could not.
While working in software, he began preparing for the civil services examination at weekends. Eventually, he left his job to prepare full-time. He initially hoped to enter the Indian Administrative Service, but his interest in ecological conservation and tribal development drew him towards the Indian Forest Service. He cleared its UPSC examination in 2017.
The principle guiding his choice was to find work suited to his abilities and then take responsibility for it.
After entering the Indian Forest Service, he chose not to pursue another attempt for the IAS. He saw a need for committed people in remote villages and wanted to use his role to work on forest and wildlife conservation, tribal development and sustainable livelihoods in hill communities.
Training at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy
Training introduced him to fellow officers from across India. His account describes visits to 21 states, five Union Territories and three countries, with field experiences ranging from Hemis National Park in the north to the Gulf of Mannar in the south. These journeys deepened his understanding of forests, wildlife and the people who live alongside them.
During the foundation course, he took on leadership responsibilities and received a silver medal for camaraderie with fellow trainees. He also received a bronze medal for activities in the Nature Club. A particularly meaningful memory was a gold medal for his contribution to the FETE fundraising event for an NGO and schoolchildren during the MCR foundation course.
Working with his team, he helped the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy secure second place at an inter-service meet at LBSNAA in Mussoorie. He was also selected on merit for the Hari Singh Fellowship to pursue a postgraduate diploma in advanced wildlife management at the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun.
His experience offers a useful reflection: pay attention to the work that naturally interests you, because it may help you recognise a meaningful direction.
Choosing Conservation and Community
Vejayanantham’s decision gave him a path towards working with marginalised communities and protecting natural environments. He speaks of India as a shared home whose languages and cultures differ, but whose people and landscapes deserve the same care. One lifetime, he feels, is not enough to appreciate all of that beauty.
At the time of this 2020 profile, he was serving as range in-charge of Ghugri Range in the East Mandla Division of Madhya Pradesh. His responsibility as a forest officer was to help protect that natural heritage while understanding the lives of the communities connected to it.