In his latest move, Mundhe’s FDA on Saturday issued show-cause notices to actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff for advertising an elaichi product from a pan masala brand, alleging surrogate advertising of a product banned in Maharashtra.
The IAS officer’s aggressive enforcement drive has drawn both criticism and praise.
Who is Tukaram Mundhe?
Born into a farming family in Maharashtra’s Beed, Mundhe joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 2005 after securing the 20th rank in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination. He was subsequently allotted his home cadre of Maharashtra.
Mundhe has said that he worked in the fields and helped his parents sell vegetables at weekly markets while growing up. He has also spoken about witnessing the consequences of the government’s failure to deliver on its welfare promises. These experiences, he has said, inspired him to join the administrative services, according to media reports.
Mundhe studied at a Zilla Parishad school in Beed before completing his graduation from the Government College of Arts and Science in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, then known as Aurangabad, in 1996. He went on to earn a master’s degree in political science from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in 1998.
Even after joining the IAS, Mundhe continued to pursue further education and training. He has completed courses in leadership, financial market regulation, tax analysis and revenue forecasting, fiscal policy and macroeconomic management, and disaster management.
A career marked by crackdowns and transfers
Before becoming Maharashtra FDA commissioner, Mundhe had become a bureaucrat defined as much by his no-nonsense administrative style as by his frequent transfers over a career spanning more than two decades. By the time he joined the FDA, he had reportedly been transferred 25 times, with his latest posting bringing him to the food and drug regulator.
“Frequent transfers do not trouble me. In fact, change is an integral part of progress. The more transfers I have, the more opportunities I get to bring about positive changes”, said Mundhe, quoted news agency PTI.
As Solapur Collector, Mundhe’s work under the Jalyukt Shivar programme helped make hundreds of villages in the district tanker-free, earning him the moniker “Water Man of Maharashtra”.
The pattern continued in later postings. As Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner, Mundhe cracked down on illegal constructions and hoardings and pushed for better tax recovery, drawing both public support and criticism from elected representatives. His short stint as Health Commissioner in 2022 followed a similar course, with surprise inspections and action against doctors before he was transferred within weeks.
Mundhe’s FDA crackdown
After taking charge as FDA commissioner, Mundhe launched a statewide enforcement drive targeting food adulteration, hygiene issues and businesses operating without proper licences. Asked about the ongoing action, the IAS officer said there would be no compromise when it comes to public health.
The Mundhe-led FDA has cracked down on the sale of analogue paneer, suspended the licences of restaurants found violating food safety norms, and shut down Domino’s and Pizza Hut outlets over hygiene lapses. More recently, the FDA led statewide inspections of Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart-linked facilities that resulted in licence suspensions over alleged food safety and hygiene violations.
Mundhe has said the system can improve only when the food industry follows regulations, the FDA regulates effectively and consumers remain vigilant.
