NALGONDA: At 74, retired IAS officer D Chakrapani is redefining retirement — not as rest, but as responsibility. Once shaping policy in the chief minister’s office under NT Rama Rao and Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy, the 1983-batch officer now tours Telugu states, turning college halls into classrooms and his experience into guidance for young minds.
During his career in undivided Andhra Pradesh, Chakrapani served as sub-collector, district collector, executive officer of corporations and in key Secretariat roles. Since retiring in 2011, he has held honorary posts — chairman of Andhra Mahila Sabha’s Arts and Science College, part of TTD’s HR study with ASCI, and honorary president of a US-based IT firm.
In his lectures, Chakrapani urges students to read newspapers and books daily, express ideas in their own words and set clear goals — habits he believes build confidence and citizenship. He also stresses the use of genome technology to prevent congenital disabilities, a cause he plans to raise with Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao.
“Sharing what I’ve learnt helps students see new possibilities,” he tells TNIE.