Prithviraj Sankhala

Dr Prithviraj Sankhala is an Indian Administrative Service officer of Rajasthan Cadre,presently posted as Director in with the Government of Rajasthan. Previously he was posted as posted as Commissioner in the Bureau of Investment Promotion, Rajasthan. He is known for his strict policy making and implementation of Government policies in the administrative framework. He is from Jodhpur district of Rajasthan.
Biography
Education
He completed his school education from Jodhpur district. He did his M.B.B.S. degree course from S.N Medical College, Jodhpur. Throughout his school and college days, he was excellent in academics as well as extra-curricular activities. He got All India 19th Rank in the Civil Services Exam, 2001 conducted by UPSC. He was also first the whole state of Rajasthan and that is why he was allotted to Rajasthan state cadre, i.e., his home cadre, which is another rare achievement. He is a 2002 batch IAS officer. While in service he completed his masters in Economics (MA Economics) from JNVU University of Jodpur.
Books and Acdemics
He is probably the only Indian writer who wrote a book about pushkar. The book is titled as "Pushkar: the City of Peace and Spirituality". A good effort to compile historical facts and contemporary informations. The book is a useful tourists guide.
Career
He is serving as the Project Director RUSDIP (an urban infrastructure development project). He was District Collector & Magistrate, Bikaner; which is the 4th largest district of Rajasthan. He is best known by the people of the district in which he served or is serving. He was the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Pushkar, Rajasthan and took a strict decision to give out a 20-page rules booklet to every foreigner visiting the holy place of Pushkar & to abide by the rules(Reference-1). This was done in order to prevent the repetition of the issues like Israeli couple kissing at their Hindu wedding ceremony and a Finnish woman walking naked down the streets of Pushkar(Reference-3).
He was also praised for his strict policy implementation as District Collector, Pali during his tenure as Collector of Pali district. As District Collector, he also came in lime-light, when he suspended a Government Primary School Teacher on charges that the teacher used to send someone else to teach in the School, on her behalf.(Reference-12)
During his tenure as district collector Bikner, he was chairman of Bikner Urban Improvement Trust (UIT a government sponsored body for development of Urban area. To deal with menace of redtappism and bureaucratic delay, he introduced File Tracking System. This is based on RFID technology. The bikner is the first collectorate in India to have electronic file tracking system.
Interests
His plan to reorganise Puskar fair by starting a "Spiritual walk", which has become part and parcel of fair since 2005, and publishing a tourist guide book "Pushkar the city of peace and spirituality", has brought him credit in the tourism sector. He established the 13th tourist circuit known as "Godwar Tourist Circuit", when he was district collector Pali. The circuit comprises Godwar region of Aravali hills, including famous Ranakpur temple, Sun temple, Jain temple of pali, Jalore and Sirohi districts. He organised first and second Ranakpur Festvals. His efforts led to the Ranakpur festival being included in international itinary. He prepared tourist places maps of Godwar region, compiled history and tourism information of these places and get them into two booklets.
Being a doctor he has deeper understanding of public health issues. The development and beautification of PBM Hospital in Bikaner Medical college with help of private donors and UIT Bikner is to his credit only. Most of the works executed during his chairmanship of UIT.
Dr Prithvi was the first collector of newly created (33rd) district Pratapgarh, Rajasthan. He is credited with establishment of district level offices and starting administrative units from scratch.JBeing a tough task master most of the time he was assingned tough and demanding jobs. He proved it right.

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