He was preparing for marriage and building a secure career. Then came his father’s d*eath—and a decision that changed the course of his life
TNR News Network
Dharamshala: A government career, a planned marriage and a relatively settled life were taking shape for Akhil Bakshi before circumstances pushed him towards a very different path.
Today, the son of former Nurpur MLA Ranjit Bakshi is preparing for an uncertain political journey in one of Himachal Pradesh’s most closely watched and politically complicated constituencies—Nurpur.
A Life That Took an Unexpected Turn
Akhil had been selected through the UPSC process and was working with the Railways in Uttar Pradesh. His personal life was also moving towards a new chapter, with marriage being planned.
Then, in 2020, his father died.
The event changed more than his family circumstances. It eventually altered the direction of his career and personal life.
Instead of continuing with a secure government career, Akhil returned to Nurpur and began working through an NGO, initially seeking to keep his father’s social work and public identity alive.
From Government Service to Public Life
The decision to enter politics did not come immediately.
According to Akhil, it was his mother who eventually encouraged him to consider active politics. He subsequently left his government career and began becoming more involved in public and political activities.
That decision meant walking away from a relatively secure professional path and entering a field where neither his family name nor his previous career could guarantee electoral success.
The Weight of a Father’s Legacy
Ranjit Bakshi remained MLA from Nurpur from 1996 to 1998. His political legacy inevitably forms an important part of Akhil’s public identity.
But Akhil’s own story is not simply that of a political heir.
His journey from UPSC selection and government service to social work and eventually politics raises a larger question: is he attempting to revive an existing political legacy, or build a political identity of his own?
And Then There Is the Cap
That question also explains the significance of the green cap he wears.
When asked whether his appearance was intended as a political or party symbol, Akhil said the cap belonged to his father. After his father’s death, he picked it up from his father’s mortal remains and wore it.
He says he had made a commitment to carry forward his father’s work and legacy.
For political observers, the cap may carry political associations. For Akhil, it represents something more personal—a connection with the father whose death changed the course of his life.
Entering Nurpur’s Political Battlefield
The real challenge, however, lies ahead.
Nurpur is a politically competitive constituency where family legacy, party organisation, local issues and individual political networks can all influence an election.
Akhil is therefore not simply returning home after leaving a government job. He is entering a political contest where his biggest test will be whether his personal journey can translate into public trust.
He left behind the certainty of a government career.
He postponed the life he had planned.
Now, he has chosen politics.
The question Nurpur will ultimately answer is whether this sacrifice becomes a political strength—or whether the constituency demands something beyond a family legacy.
ENDS
