IAS Dr Ravindra Goswami belongs to the 2016 batch Rajasthan cadre and is currently posted as district collector of Kota, Rajasthan. From once visiting Kota with plans to study for NEET UG to now serving as the collector, he has an ambitious aim to make Kota the safest city for the students and restore its positive image. “My aim is for Kota to be the safest city for students. We’re working hard to bring that image back, and so far, we’ve been successful,” he remarked.

To drive this change, he launched an initiative called Kamyab Kota focused on improving the well-being and mental health of students in Kota “With Kamyab Kota, we’re working to uplift and motivate students, aiming to reduce the suicide rates in the city,” he explained.

Kota, known as a coaching hub for competitive exams, has often been in headlines for both positive and negative reasons. Under Dr Goswami’s leadership the number of suicides have come down this year “We have been successful in that regard. Kota’s image had been clouded by various misrepresentations, but we’ve worked hard to restore it and reduce these incidents to the lowest possible level,” he said.

Additionally, the World health organization (WHO) recommended training for the caregivers of the students including teachers, hostel owners and staff was conducted in 2 phases “This training is called Gatekeeper Training, and it is perhaps one of the largest, gatekeeping training programs in the world, conducted right here in Kota,” he said.

To engage with students and better understand their concerns Goswami has also launched the "Dinner with the Collector" initiative under Kamyab Kota. "I sit with the students and listen to their issues," he said.