Y. Rupla Naik was born on 11th February 1922 in Pillenahalli Village, Sakharaya Patna Hobli, Kadur Taluk, Chikmagalur District, In Karnataka State in India. His mother Hamavathi Bai, (Raajaavath Gotra) and his father Yamaja Naik (Visalaavath Pamvaar Gotra) evinced keen interest in his education. When he was studying in the middle school Sakharayapatna, his mother Hemavathi Bai took an oath from his father at her deathbed that her son should be educated as much as he liked. perhaps she might have visualised the high position and status which her son would occupy in his later years as the First Goaar IAS Officer in India.

Thus started his brilliant academic career with a first class in the Lower Secondary School Public Examination in 1936. He stood first in B.A. (Hon's) Economics of the Mysore University, in 1944 and secured a Gold Medal. He married Kamala bai, a smart girl with a strong will belonging to the Vadatiya Gotra in the neighbouring Agrahara Tanda in April, 1944. Inspite of his marriage she persuaded him to study further and to complete M.A. degree. He also passed M.A. (Economics) in the first class in 1945 with his wife's encouragement.

He joined Government service as Assistant Commissioner in 1949. After training, he was appointed as Treasury Officer and Headquarters Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner Chikmagalur District in 1950. He also served in his own District again as Assistant Commissioner, Tarikere Sub-Division from 1955 to 1957. He also worked as Assistant Commissioner of Shimoga Sub-Division, Special Officer, Mysore State Finance Corporation and also Assistant Secretary State Transport Authority Bangalore.

After the introduction of I.A.S. Cadre in Karnataka State, The Union Public Service Commission interviewed him and he was selected to the I.A.S. in 1958 and underwent training in Mussauri. Since then he served in a number of responsible and key posts. In 1959, he was appointed as Deputy Commissioner of North Kanara District. Then he worked as Deputy Commissioner of Hassan District from 1960 to 1963, as Commissioner for the Corporation of the city of Bangalore from 1963 to 1966, as Deputy Commissioner of Kolar District from 1966 to 1968 and also as Secretary, Karnataka State Electricity Board from 1971. He also served as Member-Secretary of the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission (Havanoor Commission) in 1973-74.

In view of his rich rural background, Government of Karnataka appointed him as Commissioner for Special Economic Programmes and Secretary to Government for Rural Development, Co-operation and Marketing Departments from 1974 to 1979. Karnatka Government deputed him in 1978 to the World Bank at Washington, U.S.A. to negotiate the Agricultural Extention project as he was already handling the Drought Prone Area Development at his level with World Bank assistance. Rural water supply, Gober Gas Plants, Itegrated Rural development Projects, Special Economic Programmes for Weaker Sections, Employment Guarantee Scheme to provide employment to the landless labourers during the lean periods in the year, rural roads, regulated markets and a number of allied schemes got off with a fillip due to his dynamic outlook and overseeing.

After his retirement as Secretary to the Government of Karnataka for Health and Family Welfare Department in 1980, he was nominated by the Governor as Senate Member of the Bangalore University for 3 years, and again as Academic Council Member of the same university for a further period of 3 years. He was also President of the Karnataka Pradesh Banjara (Lambani) Seva Sangha Bangalore, from 9-9-1983 to 3-5-1986.

He has compiled a Banjari-English Dictionary in Devnagari Script for Banjari Language. He is also the President of the Chikmagalur District Banjara Seva Sangha.

From 21-9-1991 to 20-3-1994 he worked as a member of the Translation Simplification Committee constituted by the Government in the department of Kannada and Culture for Simplification of the Translations of the Manuals, of all the departments of Government of Karnataka into Kannda.

His first son, Dr. R. Gowrishankar MBBS,MD,PA, (USA) has settled down in Livingston, New Jersey State in USA as an American Citizen. His another son R. Mahadev Pamhaar B.E. (Mec.) MS (Computers) (USA), has also been working in New Jersey State in USA as Computer Engineer. His third and youngest son R. Krishnakumar is also a dyanamic personality in his own right and is also working in New Jersey state in USA. His youngest daughter Parvathi is in Cambridge City near Toronto in Canada. His other two daughters Manjula and Malathi are comfortably placed in bangalore City.

He had an American Green Card from 1982 to 1986 and he has visited USA and Canada about seven times. He could have stayed in USA with his sons in luxury, but he loves his village Sakharayapatna and the arecanut and coconut gardens, which he has raised in Sakharayapatna i Chickmagalur District in Karnatka State and he loves to spend much of his retired life as a son of the soil in the midst of nature's greenery.

Editor's Note: Y. Rupla Naik's Book: "Colourful Banjara (Lambani) Tribe Through The Ages" is highly recommended for the readers. This book is Published by: "SBC Law Publications", 360/A, Kavitha Buildings, 1st Main Road, Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore-560022.