
Rajiv Mehrishi
Born 16 November 1955 · Rajasthan
Serving as the 13th Comptroller and Auditor General of India from 2017 to 2020.
🔔 Add birthday reminderRajiv Mehrishi is a retired IAS officer of the 1978 batch belonging to the Rajasthan cadre who served as the 13th Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG) and Vice Chairman of the United Nations Panel of External Auditors.
✨ A detail that surprised us
Rajiv Mehrishi’s hobby of making pickles evolved into a commercial brand called 'Pickley – Taste of Dada,' an unusual pastime for a former Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
1. 🌟 In 1978, Rajiv Mehrishi joined the Indian Administrative Service from the Rajasthan cadre, embarking on a career that spanned over four decades across diverse high-impact roles in both state and central governments.
2. As Chief Secretary of Rajasthan from December 2013 to October 2014, he introduced the biometric and bank-linked "Bhamashah" card, a precursor to India's Aadhaar system, revolutionizing social welfare disbursement in the state.
3. Between October 2014 and August 2015, Mehrishi served as the Union Finance Secretary and Economic Affairs Secretary, where he played a pivotal role in setting up the Monetary Policy Committee and contributed to the enactment of the Indian Bankruptcy Code and Competition Act.
4. From August 2015 to August 2017, he held the post of Union Home Secretary, overseeing critical national security and internal affairs during a period marked by significant geopolitical challenges.
5. 🍯 Upon taking oath on 25 September 2017 as the 13th Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Mehrishi simultaneously became Vice Chairman of the United Nations Panel of External Auditors, bringing Indian auditing standards to a global stage until August 2020.
6. His tenure as CAG saw him audit multi-billion dollar expenditures in defence, infrastructure, and public sectors, shaping transparency in government spending at a constitutional level.
7. Mehrishi is also known for his unique hobby of pickle-making, commercializing his own recipes under the brand "Pickley – Taste of Dada," blending bureaucratic precision with culinary craft.
8. ❓ How did a senior IAS officer transition from rewriting India's transport taxation laws and company acts to creating a branded pickle line while guiding national financial and security policies?
Awards & Honours
- 🏅Padma Bhushan
🔍 One thing most people don't know
In his stint as Joint Secretary in the Department of Company Affairs, Mehrishi was involved in rewriting the Companies Act, 1956, providing him deep insight into company law reforms in India.
🖼️ Through the Years
📅 The Journey
🗝️ Discoveries
🎥 Speeches & Recordings
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📖 Curated Sources
🌱 What changed because of them
Mehrishi’s introduction of the Bhamashah card pioneered biometric-based social welfare delivery, influencing India’s approach to financial inclusion before Aadhaar’s rise. His involvement in key economic reforms like the Monetary Policy Committee and the Indian Bankruptcy Code reshaped India's financial governance framework. As CAG and UN Panel Vice Chairman, he enhanced audit transparency across national and international institutions.
💬 Social Buzz
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