Himmat Singh Barhath, an RAS officer, did not let his rural upbringing stand in the way of his aspirations for a successful life. He serves as a source of inspiration for individuals who often struggle to realize their goals and have self-doubt because of their early lives.

Himmat Singh Barhath is an RAS officer of the 1997 batch. Currently, he is serving as the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, Udaipur.

Under his leadership, the Municipal Corporation of Udaipur has witnessed significant improvements in infrastructure development and the effective implementation of various civic projects. His dedication and innovative approach have earned him recognition for his outstanding contribution to the city's growth and development.

Born in a small village in Udaipur, Himmat completed his schooling at a government school. He completed his primary education in his village itself, and then to study further, he would walk 4 km every day to a school in a nearby village and study there till 8th grade. Thereafter, he studied at Maharaja Sanskrit College in Udaipur, where he completed his education from the 9th grade until graduation.

Himmat completed his graduation in 1985, and then he did his B.Ed. in 1986 from Vidya Bhawan College, Udaipur. At the young age of nineteen, he got selected as a second grade teacher, which also fulfilled his dream of getting a government job. When his brother got selected as a sub-inspector, he too thought of aiming for something bigger. While still in a teaching job, he appeared for the RAS exam in 1989. He could not clear the exam on his first attempt. He appeared again, and on his second attempt at the exam, he got selected as an inspector of commercial taxes.

Himmat says that when he got selected as an inspector of commercial taxes, he got to experience a different world altogether. He says that, coming from a rural background, he was oblivious to the competition in cities and administrative services exams. But getting selected as an inspector boosted his morale, and in 1997 he appeared again in the RAS, and this time he stood in 17th position in the whole of Rajasthan.

According to Himmat, being an administrative officer entails a lot of public dealings and challenges. He says his first posting was as an assistant collector in Chittorgarh. In the 1997 Panchayat Elections, all the workers there went on strike, and he had to conduct the elections smoothly with the help of other administrative officers, which was challenging for him as a new officer. Besides, he says that during colonial times, administrative officers would exercise their authority over the public. But now the public is more aware and informed, and an administrative officer is required to work as a public servant and not as an administrator. He adds that there is also political pressure in the administrative services.

Himmat shares that in administrative services, an administrative officer is frequently transferred to different locations to serve in different roles. He was working as the registrar at MLSU, Udaipur. But during the COVID pandemic, he was given the charge of controlling the outbreak of the virus in Kushalgarh tehsil in Banswara. It was quite challenging for him to control the situation there, as people were paranoid about the pandemic. But he worked hard and carried out his duties well. He provided necessities to the needy, ran awareness programs about the pandemic in the town, and also addressed sanitization and cleanliness issues there.

Himmat shares that it’s not necessary to have convent schooling to become an administrative officer. Anybody can be an administrative officer, provided they have confidence in themselves and are patient in their endeavors. Besides, he says that a good administrator makes a good administration. And therefore, once you are in the service, you need to be a good person first and work in the best interest of the public.

Himmat says that administrative services are so diverse in nature that an officer is given opportunities to work in different roles, and one can never feel bored in the services. And moreover, the services give you an opportunity to work with people on the ground, and you can help a person at the last mile, which is what gives him the motivation to do better at his job.

Talking about his achievements whilst in the service, he says that when he was posted as the Commissioner of Municipal Corporation, Udaipur, he was entrusted to draw the plan to convert the city into a smart city during the Smart City Challenge of 2015, and later, when Udaipur was selected among the first 20 cities in the country to be converted into smart cities, he considered it an achievement. Besides, he also served as the SDM of Dungarpur during the tough times of famine there.

If he could go back in time, then Himmat would want to relive his childhood, as he thinks that childhood is the best period of one’s life.

In his free time, he likes to listen to retro songs, ghazals, and sad songs. He finds solace in the nostalgic melodies and emotional lyrics of these genres. Himmat believes that music has the power to transport him back in time and evoke a range of emotions within him.

Himmat’s message to the public is that besides knowing your fundamental rights as a citizen of a democracy, you ought to fulfill your fundamental duties too.