Anil Bordia was born on 5 May 1934 in the Indian city ofIndore, in Madhya Pradesh. He had his schooling at Bharataiya Vidya Bhavan in Udaipur and graduated from the M. B. College, Udaipur. He secured his post graduate degree from the St. Stephen's College, and, later, passed the Indian Administrative Service examination in 1957. Anil Bordia was married to Otima, a former IAS officer, and the couple had a daughter, Maitryi and a son, Shreyas. Bordia died on 2 September 2012, following a cardiac arrest, at the age of 78.
Anil Bordia joined Indian Administrative Service in 1957 for a civil services career which spanned 35 years, till retired from the service, as the Union Education Secretary in 1992. During his civil service, he was involved in many major educational projects and policy formulation assignments such as the Education Policy of 1986. During his public service, he launched the Bihar education project from 1977 through 1980, where he assembled many voluntary organisations, academic institutions and public resource centres to work towards achieving total literacy in the state. He was also behind the Mahila Samakhya project, a women's education project which has participation from various women's movements. In 1987, he launched the Shikha Karmi program for eradicating illiteracy from the state of Rajasthan. Under the program, society monitored schools with locally trained teachers were introduced which was reported to be successful in the universalisation of primary education in the state.
Social activism
After his retirement from the government service in 1992, Anil Bordia embarked on an education program for the young illiterates, which he conceptualised and named, Lok Jumbish, in Rajasthan. He guided the program till 1999 and was stated to be a highly successful initiative. In 2001, Bordia launched another movement, Doosra Dashak, which was aimed at the education and development of the youth. He also headed a committee, Right To Education committee, which submitted a detailed report with suggestions to synchronise the norms and strategies of the RTE with that of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, a government program mandated to achieve Universalization of Elementary Education, so that operational synergies are achieved. He was also vocal about women's role in the society and girls' participation in primary education.
Legacy
Anil Bordia is remembered for his contributions in rejuvenating the education sector of the country and played a part in its policy formations, especially the National Education Policy of 1986. He was an active participant in the universalisation of education in Rajasthan and Bihar. He worked for the empowerment of marginalised communities and women which he tried to achieve through society participation and community resources. He is acknowledged as an expert in micro planning and positive decision making.
Controversy
Anil Bordia's name featured in an administrative litigation, when J. C. Jetli, a senior IAS officer, approached the Central Administrative Tribunal, against Bordia's appointment as a Government Secretary, superseding Jetli's claims. The case precipitated a CAT judgment asking the Central Government to lay down norms and guidelines for the appointment of cabinet secretaries. He also had to meet with opposition during the Lok Jumbish program, when the rural people wanted full-fledged schools, rather than the system Bordia suggested, which finally led to the untimely cessation of the program in the state of Rajasthan.
Awards and recognitions
Anil Bordia was awarded Padma Bhushan, in 2010, along with his teacher at the St. Stephen's College, Professor Mohammed Amin, which was celebrated by the College as a felicitation to the awardees.
