Ronald Carlton Vivian Piadade Noronha, Indian Civil Servant
Indian Civil Servant

Ronald Carlton Vivian Piadade Noronha

Born 14 May 1916 · verify — Died 23 November 1982

Longest serving Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh in independent India.

Ronald Carlton Vivian Pidade Noronha (1916–1982), known as Ron to his friends and Noronha to his colleagues, was an Indian Civil Service officer, writer and the longest serving Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh in independent India. He was the author of A Tale Told By An Idiot, an autobiography. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award, in 1975.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

After retiring as Chief Secretary, Noronha chose to live in a one-room house in Sankal village, where he was known as Baba and personally provided first aid and emergency assistance to villagers.

The Story

1
In 1916, Ronald Carlton Vivian Pidade Noronha was born in Hyderabad, Telangana, to an engineer-doctor couple, setting the stage for a life bridging technical legacy and governance.
2
🌍 He topped the Indian Civil Service examination and earned a BSc (Honours) from the London School of Economics, reflecting early mastery of global economic and administrative thought.
3From November 1963 to August 1968, Noronha became the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, serving a full term before returning for a second stint from September 1972 to May 1974, marking him the longest-serving in that role post-independence.
4📚 In 1976, he published his autobiography, A Tale Told By An Idiot, offering a candid insider’s view of Indian bureaucracy rarely expressed by civil servants of his era.

🏅 Awards & Honours

1975
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

Noronha retired at age 58 and chose to live as a humble farmer in Sankal village near Bhopal, where he was affectionately called Baba and personally ferried emergency patients to the hospital.

🖼️

Through the Years

1 photograph from the archives
Ronald Carlton Vivian Piadade Noronha

🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Birth in Hyderabad, Telangana
Ronald Carlton Vivian Pidade Noronha was born to an engineer-doctor couple in Hyderabad, Telangana.
1916
📚
Education
Graduated from Loyola College, Madras
Noronha earned a graduate degree with honours from Loyola College, Madras, building his foundation in academics.
c.1930
⚡
Career
First term as Chief Secretary, Madhya Pradesh
Noronha began his first term as Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, a position he held until August 1968.
1963
⚡
Career
Second term as Chief Secretary
He resumed the role of Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh from September 1972 until his retirement in May 1974.
1972
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
The Government of India honored Noronha with the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award.
1975
📖
Publication
Published autobiography
Noronha published A Tale Told By An Idiot, sharing his personal account of life in the Indian Civil Service.
1976
🕊️
Death
Death in Bhopal
Ronald Carlton Vivian Pidade Noronha passed away in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, at the age of 66.
1982
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🗝️Discoveries

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01 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

In 1975, Noronha was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India, a rare civilian honor for an Indian Civil Service officer known more for administrative work than public visibility.

02 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

He topped the Indian Civil Service exam after completing a BSc (Honours) from the London School of Economics, highlighting an uncommon blend of academic and administrative excellence in the 1930s-40s.

03 / 04
🔍LESSER KNOWN

Noronha authored an autobiography, A Tale Told By An Idiot, published in 1976, offering a rare, unvarnished look into the life of a senior Indian bureaucrat during the formative decades of independent India.

No quote recorded for Ronald Carlton Vivian Piadade Noronha yet.

🌱 What changed because of them

Noronha’s long tenure as Chief Secretary shaped administrative practices in Madhya Pradesh during critical post-independence years. His autobiography remains a rare candid narrative from within the Indian Civil Service, influencing how bureaucratic history is recorded. The RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration continues to train civil servants, embedding his principles in Madhya Pradesh’s governance culture.

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