'Sorry, if I rubbed anyone the wrong way': IAS officer Ashok Khemka's goodbye message

NEW DELHI: "I apologise if during this journey I rubbed anyone the wrong way," IAS officer Ashok Khemka said on the day of his retirement, marking the end of a bureaucratic journey that was anything but ordinary.

Known as much for his relentless integrity as for the political storms that often surrounded him, Khemka’s 33-year career came to a close on Wednesday.
Taking to platform X, Khemka wrote, "Today I complete my IAS career. Thanks to my family, colleagues and all well-wishers, without whose unflinching support this journey would not have been possible. I apologise if during this journey I rubbed anyone the wrong way."
A 1991-batch officer, Khemka is perhaps best remembered for his decision in 2012 to annul a controversial land deal between Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s husband Robert Vadra and real estate major DLF—a move that catapulted him into the national spotlight and cemented his image as a whistleblower unafraid of taking on the powerful. That decision, however, came at a cost. Over the course of his service, Khemka was transferred no fewer than 57 times, often to departments seen as peripheral or without policymaking weight.
Despite facing political pushback under both Congress and BJP governments, Khemka remained steadfast in his commitment to clean governance. He retired as Additional Chief Secretary in Haryana’s Transport Department but spent much of his career in less influential posts like archaeology, museums, and science & technology—even after being momentarily assigned to key roles under ministers like Anil Vij.
His career arc—marked by repeated administrative sidelining—stood in stark contrast to the public support he garnered, particularly during the 2014 elections when the BJP projected his stand on the Vadra-DLF deal as emblematic of its anti-corruption stance. But once in power, the same party did little to elevate him. In fact, Khemka openly voiced his disillusionment in a 2019 letter to then Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, accusing the government of transferring him based on “extraneous and personal considerations.” In that letter, he lamented the declining ideals of bureaucracy, writing, “Governance is no longer a service; it is a business.”
Now, as he steps away from the civil services, Khemka plans to reinvent himself as a legal professional. “I will apply to the bar council for a licence to practice as an advocate,” he told The Times of India, indicating that his mission to serve the public will continue—just in a different capacity.
The IAS Officers Association gave him a formal send-off, attended by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi. But for those who’ve followed Khemka’s career, it’s clear that his legacy won’t be defined by his farewell, but by the fearless and often lonely path he chose to walk in public service. Whether his next chapter in law will echo the same ethos of accountability remains to be seen—but few doubt that Ashok Khemka will continue to make his presence felt.