Subhechcha Ganguly 
Nikhil Pawan Kalyan, the incumbent Commissioner of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has been relentlessly working in the field of Sanitation, Drinking Water, Skill Development, Housing, Connectivity, Healthcare, Education and preservation of the Environment for the past eight years.
He is in the spotlight for the successful organization of the historic Bali Yatra in Cuttack, one of Asia’s largest open trade fairs. Thanks to Mr Kalyan’s vision and efficient administration, the popular Bali Yatra is back with a bang in the Millennium City, attracting lakhs of visitors every day.
Mr Kalyan is a B Tech graduate from the prestigious Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur. He worked in Microsoft, TCS and Adobe India prior to joining UPSC. After joining UPSC, he has worked in Balangir, Ganjam, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal and Sundargarh District of Odisha in various capacities. He has not only worked towards education but also in the field of Sanitation, Drinking Water, Skill Development, Housing, Connectivity, Healthcare and the preservation of the Environment.
Soon after taking charge as the Commissioner of CMC, Mr Kalyan said that Cuttack is a city noted for its distinctive culture. The millennium city has its own set of challenges but we will doggedly strive to overcome all of them with collective efforts, he said.
He noted Cuttack’s long-standing urban woes like the festering drainage issue or the much talked about JICA projects facing cost escalations and time overruns. But he pointed out that the scenario in the historic city has changed drastically compared to what it was 20 years back and it will only improve in the days to come with the convergence of efforts of all the stakeholders.
He has emphasized on positioning Cuttack as the model corporation. “We wish our corporation to be amongst the best in the country. We will compete with Bhubaneswar, why only Bhubaneswar, we will compete against the best run corporations”, he says.
Mr Kalyan is also focused on upgrading the SCB Medical College in the city into a world-class AIIMS+ institution.
At a TEdX conference organized by the MKCG Medical College in Berhampur, he called upon the civil service aspirants to prepare themselves not just for the gruelling examination but for the job itself.
“You got to be passionate about what you want to achieve. Your mind should be fixated on it. Look, I served in the software industry and then shifted gears to civil service. But the career transition wasn’t easy. It took me three attempts to crack the exam. While I was preparing for the examination, I read copiously and the thoughts of the great people inspired me. Both reading and writing will gear you up for this career”, he said.
During his stint as the Sundergarh collector, Mr Kalyan tirelessly executed all developmental works under his purview. He was also instrumental in providing Mahaprayana Vehicles for the district. A total of 15 Mahaprayana Vehicles were launched to cover the district with a GPS tracking system. Moreover, the upgradation of the electrical system in 17 blocks, 03 ULBs and RMC, Rourkela were successfully performed. 21 projects are being undertaken with an expenditure of 10 crores.
Mr Kalyan is the epitome of dynamism and result-driven performance. More power to the officers of his ilk!
