Hari Chandana is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Telangana cadre, who is currently the Food Safety Commissioner and Director of AYUSH Telangana. She is an alumna of the London School of Economics and the University of Hyderabad. She is known as an Eco-warrior, who has been transforming plastic waste into a resource for Hyderabad, the capital city of Telangana. In this article, we will explore how Hari Chandana is turning plastic waste into a resource for Hyderabad with her innovative and impactful initiatives.

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Hari Chandana’s journey began when she decided to leave her reputed job in London, where she worked with the World Bank and BP Shell, and return to India to become an IAS officer. She was inspired by her father, who was also an IAS officer, and wanted to serve the society and the nation. She cleared the UPSC exam in her second attempt, in the year 2010¹. She started her career as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Vikarabad from 2012 to 2014, where she implemented several welfare schemes and development programs for the rural population, such as distributing bicycles to school children, providing nutrition to pregnant women and children, promoting home composting, creating SHG owned companies, etc

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She then became the Zonal Commissioner and Additional Commissioner of GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) from 2014 to 2020, where she led several mega infrastructure and green projects in Hyderabad, such as creating India’s first ever pet park for dogs, launching self-sustaining 200 “Loo-Cafes” based on a revenue model, installing “Feed the Need” community refrigerators, constructing the Durgam Cheruvu cable-stay bridge, reviving and rejuvenating several lakes, introducing mobile ‘She-Toilets’, executing green projects like Panchatantra Park, Mir Alam Park, Geriatric Park Miyapur, and Dog Park, enabling ISO 14001:2015 certified green government buildings, and using drones to spray for mosquito eradication and de-weed water bodies

One of the most remarkable achievements of Hari Chandana is her promotion of the recycling and reuse of plastic waste in Hyderabad. She spearheaded the creation of footpaths, street furniture, art installations, and rooftops with recycled plastic, which reduced the environmental and health hazards of plastic pollution. She also involved the local communities, especially women and children, in the collection and segregation of plastic waste, and provided them with income and employment opportunities. She also introduced permeable tree grates to save trees in the pavements, which allowed water and air to reach the roots of the trees.

Hari Chandana has also received many awards and recognitions for her outstanding work and contribution to the society and the environment. Some of them are:

• British Council Alumni Award for Social Impact in 2021, recognizing her contribution to sustainable development through localized governance solutions.
• Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in 2020, along with 12 other public officials from the country, for her exemplary work in Narayanpet.
• Science and Sustainability Award in 2021, a testament to her extraordinary work in promoting environmental protection and sustainable development.
• FICCI, Women in Public Service Award in 2021, for her exemplary leadership and service in the public sector.

Hari Chandana is a role model and an inspiration for many people, especially women and young aspirants, who want to make a difference in the world. She has shown that with passion, dedication, and innovation, one can achieve great heights and turn plastic waste into a resource for Hyderabad.