Subrat Ratho, MD, Maharashtra Transco seems to live by the adage, "With regard to excellence, it is not enough to know, but we must try to have and use it." A man who is known to give more than 100% percent of his time and energy, has set examples in far more areas than any person. As the previous Additional Municipal Commissioner, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Ratho has handled all situations with calmness and sure-footedness like the time when the first spell of rains, in June this year, had exposed Mumbai to the problem of mounting garbage. According to estimates, more than 1,200 metric tonnes of garbage and silt has accumulated around the drains and roads, causing traffic snarls. Even debris from dug-up roads and silt removed from the sewers has slipped back into drains. Moreover, the BMC vehicles could not pick up any garbage because of traffic. To get to the root of the problem, Ratho conducted a secret visit by a BMC official to Mahakali and Andheri, who then caught trucks carrying construction debris. Ratho promised strict action against such contractors. Ratho's career can be traced as foolows: worked as Assistant Collector, Nanded from 1988-90, worked as Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad, Buldana, Maharashtra from 1990-92; worked as Deputy Secretary to Governor of Maharashtra with special responsibility of looking after the functioning of the Universities and the Regional Developments of Boards of Maharashtra, worked as Zonal Joint Director General of Foreign Trade (Western Region) & Additional Export Commissioner, Mumbai for the period of 09/1997 to 12/2002; worked as Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Mumbai from 12/2002 to 06/2006 and now, working as Managing Director in Maharashtra State Electricity Board Holding Co. Ltd., Mumbai since 27 June, 2006.

Ratho's concerns for honesty and integrity was never restricted to the walls of his office. Isn't everyone a part of everyone else? Such is the great thinking of Ratho whose concern for people and nature goes beyond just advocating. He is a man who lets his actions talk for him. He has in fact used very interesting methods to spread the word on nurturing nature. This year's World Environment Day was celebrated with differently by Ratho. More than 75 people including the young and the old gathered together at the Malabar Hill, Mumbai residence of Ratho and his wife Rachita, to celebrate World Environment Day. Even the rain gods seemed to make way for the "Tree Party" as it rained just enough to wash the leaves. A very old banyan tree, almost 150-year-old, growing at the Parsi Panchayat land on Malabar Hill was felicitated as a "Senior Citizen." The children were joined by members of the Dignity Foundation, who in grandfatherly-style, encouraged the children to tie protective threads around the venerable banyan tree to showing the collective appreciation for the silent services - shade, birdsong, noise-reduction and just plain happiness. This meeting was used as an opportunity to explain to young children the importance of the leaf litter that was strewn around the trees, how the tiny organisms in the soil help turn leaf litter into food for the tree and how nature recycles everything. Following this, the group participated in a shramdaan by picking up the plastic litter (mostly gutka packets) lying around. They collected 30 kgs of plastic! People of all ages re-learnt the valuable lesson that with a little care and consideration for nature, our mother Earth has the capability of rejuvenating itself into its former beauty. The event ended on a beautiful note with the children promising to protect the banyan tree and asking adults not to litter and to unite to make this a better world. As Additional Municipal Commissioner, (BMC), Ratho, took steps to educate people about the importance of water conservation. Inspired by him, an exhibition was held by children to improve awareness on the problem today. Ratho, who welcomes initiatives like these, offered the BMC's help in spreading the message further, to children on different civic issues. Over 800 children, who are Members of civic clubs of CMCA, were part of a six-month project on water, in schools in Mumbai. Launched in July 2005, in partnership with SCESA and BG India, the project covered 11 to 15 year old children in different schools of Mumbai. UTSAV 2006 was held to showcase the creative expression of the project participants, which included models, posters, poems and slogans, aimed at spreading the message of water conservation to the larger community. One of the project activities saw the children conduct a house-to-house survey on the habits of Mumbaikars with respect to water, and their conservation practices. The survey was also an effective way for the young proponents to convey the message of the severity of the water problem to different households, and tips were given on how to save water on a daily basis. Ratho definitely knew how to tap young minds who could not only learn about implement water conservation but also spread the word to others. That is how Ratho is. He knows how to address any problem and any situation in a manner that the solution is long-lasting. This is what makes him the biggest asset of MSEB.