In Tripura’s Sepahijala district, a quiet revolution is underway- one that has turned a region once struggling with water scarcity and social challenges into a national success story. Leading this transformation is Siddharth Shiv Jaiswal, a Gorakhpur-born IAS officer whose work blends discipline, empathy and community-led action.
On 18 November 2025, Sepahijala received the “Best District (North East Zone)” award from President Droupadi Murmu. For locals, it wasn’t just an accolade; it was recognition of a change they could feel in their farms, homes and daily lives. For Jaiswal, it marked his third national honour after the President’s Bhoomi Samman 2023 and the National Water Award 2023.
When he assumed charge, Sepahijala’s water systems were at risk. Rivers were shrinking, wetlands were vanishing, and groundwater was depleting. Jaiswal launched a district-wide revival, restoring nearly 30 km of riverbanks with native plants and building natural retention systems that began recharging aquifers. Forty-two water bodies– including the Ramsar-listed Rudrasagar Wetland– were rejuvenated through cleaning, de-weeding and ecological restoration.
The results were visible within months. Wetlands revived. Fish and birds returned. Farmers reported better yields. Communities that once lived with shortages began to speak of water with hope instead of fear.
But Sepahijala’s story goes beyond its rivers. Under Mission Sankalp, the district mounted a determined fight against child marriage. With schools, child-welfare committees, ASHA workers and villagers joining hands, ten villages earned “Aspiring Child Marriage Free” status by maintaining zero child marriages for six months. Over a hundred children were rescued from early marriage and given safety, education and support.
Those who’ve worked with Jaiswal attribute his clarity and compassion to his early career as an Army doctor in high-altitude Sikkim- years that earned him the High Altitude Medal and the Sikkim Lily Medal. That discipline now powers his governance.
For UPSC aspirants, his journey offers a simple truth- real change begins when governance trusts people, listens deeply and acts early.
Today, Sepahijala stands as a reminder that when communities and administration work together, even the toughest challenges can be rewritten- river by river, village by village, child by child.
