From Rural India to the IRS | Lessons in Leadership & Public Service | In Service of the Nation

What does it really take to dedicate your life to public service? In this inspiring conversation, Shailendra Kumar (CEO, TIOL Private Limited) speaks with Pratap Singh, former Director General, Income Tax Investigation, senior IRS officer, IIT Kanpur alumnus, author, and public policy expert. Over a distinguished career spanning 35+ years, Pratap Singh shares his extraordinary journey—from growing up in a small village in Uttar Pradesh to serving in some of India’s most important tax administrations. This conversation goes far beyond bureaucracy. It is about leadership, resilience, nation-building, ethics, public service, education, and the mindset required to build an impactful career. Drawing from his latest book, In Service of the Nation: Reflections of a Bureaucrat, Pratap Singh offers rare insights into the Indian Revenue Service, the transformation of India’s tax administration, IIT Kanpur, UPSC preparation, rural India, and the values that shaped his life. In this episode • From a village in Uttar Pradesh to the Indian Revenue Service • What 35 years in public service taught him • How India’s Income Tax Department transformed through technology • Leadership lessons for young officers • The reality of serving across India • IIT Kanpur and lifelong learning • Why every civil servant must understand people—not just policy • Rural India, education, and opportunity • Teachers who changed his life • Why giving back to society matters Whether you’re preparing for UPSC, IAS, IRS, IPS, State PCS, or simply interested in leadership and India’s governance, this conversation is filled with practical wisdom and timeless lessons. Subscribe to Pratap Singh IRS for conversations on governance, taxation, leadership, public policy, economics, and nation-building. ⸻ Chapters 00:00 Introduction & Welcome 01:34 Why In Service of the Nation Is More Than a Memoir 02:28 From a Small Village to the Indian Revenue Service 03:28 Inspiring Rural Youth to Dream Big 04:03 Inside the Indian Revenue Service: How the Income Tax Department Really Works 04:44 The Gurugram Model of Tax Administration 05:30 Advice for Young IRS Officers 05:58 Golf, Marathon Running & Personal Growth 06:19 UPSC Preparation and the Mindset for Success 06:43 Giving Back to Society & Community Service 07:30 Who Should Read This Book? 08:29 India’s Tax System: Then vs Now 09:08 How Technology Transformed the Income Tax Department 09:56 AIS, Digital Taxation & Transparency 10:49 A Taxpayer-Friendly Approach 11:13 E-Verification & Voluntary Tax Compliance 11:51 The ‘Nudge’ Approach in Tax Administration 12:19 India’s Tax Collection Growth Story 13:01 India’s Role in Global Tax Policy 13:27 Is India’s Tax Administration Among the World’s Best? 14:25 Tax Reforms, Benami Act & New Income Tax Act 15:55 Lessons from Serving Across India 17:19 Advice to Young Civil Servants 18:08 Understanding India Through Different Cities 19:32 How IIT Kanpur Shaped My Life 20:48 Why Civil Servants Need Both Technology & Social Sciences 22:21 The Personal Story Behind the Memoir 23:12 Growing Up in Rural Uttar Pradesh 25:34 Why Rural Youth Should Never Limit Their Dreams 26:31 Teachers Who Changed My Life 27:02 Why Teachers Are Nation Builders 29:39 India’s Transformation Over the Last 35 Years ⸻ #UPSC #IAS #IRS #CivilServices #UPSCPreparation #UPSCMotivation #PratapSingh #IndianRevenueService #PublicService #NationBuilding #Leadership #IITKanpur #CivilServant #Governance #IndianBureaucracy