Dr. C.K Gariyali, a post graduate from the Delhi School of Social Work and a doctorate in women’s studies from the Mother Teresa University is a senior IAS officer. She has studied poverty alleviation at the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex University and Women’s empowerment at the Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford University. She has served as Principal Secretary to the Governor of Tamil Nadu and as Secretary Social Welfare Department. She also held the position of Collector of Chennai and South Arcot districts, and was the Secretary to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

In an exclusive interview Dr. C K Gariyali shares with Marie Banu her views on women empowerment.

You have held several portfolios in the government. Which of them did you cherish most and why?

Indian Administrative Service is a great opportunity to serve the nation. I have cherished each and every portfolio and I don’t rate them high or low. I think each of them opened up new opportunities for me to help somebody in different segments of the society.

However I cherished most my work in the Correctional Administration Department. During the year 1979,  I worked with children who were involved in petty crimes; kids who had failed an exam or got beaten at home and just hopped on to a train and landed at Madras Central; girls who had lost their parents and were wandering the streets; orphans;  and women who were apprehended and remanded under immoral traffic act. While there, I was terribly moved to see these unfortunate human beings, who were young and vulnerable and mostly victim of circumstances. Every morning I had to think of devising new ways to help them—to get them out of correctional institutions, to find their parents, to get them back to their homes and families, or alternatively, to place them in foster care or adoption. There were many issues that we were struggling with, but we eventually made a lot of improvement to the system and the prevailing laws. When I was transferred, I cried for days. I still keep in touch and send occasional gifts for
girls in the Kellys home.