Why some Indian civil servants become heroes for doing their jobs
In a system often marked by red tape and exhausting delays, officers seen to be following the rules get adulation.
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Tukaram Mundhe has led a series of enforcement drives since taking charge in May
Among the thousands of civil servants who keep India's vast government machinery running, a small number become unlikely public figures every few years.
The commissioner of Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration, he has led a series of enforcement drives since taking charge in May. His teams have inspected restaurants and other food businesses, uncovering pest infestations, poor hygiene and expired food.
He has also highlighted large gaps between what hospitals pay for common medical supplies and what patients are charged.
These actions have made Mundhe a social-media celebrity, with videos and images from inspections widely shared online. Hundreds of people have commented that they wished officers like him could be sent to fix food safety concerns in their state.
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