Kajal Aggarwal shares words of wisdom from firebrand food safety officer Tukaram Munde
Mumbai, July 20
Actress Kajal Aggarwal, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming film 'The India Story', recently met IAS officer Tukaram Munde, who has been tightening the screws of food safety in Maharashtra.
On Monday, the actress took to her X, formerly Twitter, and shared a picture of herself with the officer, and her co-actor Shreyas Talpade.
She also penned a long note in which she reminisced the words of wisdom that the officer shared with her.
She wrote, "It was such a pleasure meeting Tukaram Munde sir. I've long been an admirer of the work he's doing and took the opportunity to compliment him on his honesty and sincerity. His response stayed with me. He said, 'Honesty and sincerity are simply a part of my job and my DNA. The fact that you're treating them as something extraordinary only shows how rare they've become. That's the sad state of affairs'. That really made me pause and reflect".
Tukaram Munde has gained a reputation for being the no non-sense officer, and his solid crackdowns on food establishments engaging in malpractices. The officer recently shut down many iconic food outlets in the city.
"It was inspiring to meet someone so deeply committed to doing the right thing, even when it's difficult. Leaders like him remind us that integrity isn't a special quality, it should be the standard. It also felt like a meaningful coincidence that our film, 'The India Story', echoes the very message Tukaram sir has been championing, raising awareness about food adulteration, excessive pesticide use, and the devastating health consequences they can have. We cannot afford to become silent consumers of practices that ultimately compromise our well-being. Kudos to you, sir. More power to you, and my heartfelt best wishes for all the important work you're doing to clean up the system. India needs many more public figures like you", she added.
Earlier, the actress spoke with IANS, and had heaped praise on the IAS officer for his commitment, honesty and service.
She earlier told IANS, "There is pollution, there are stress factors. It is all a mixed bag. So, it is definitely not the easiest of environments for us to navigate. But, there are people like Tukaram Munde, the newly elected FDA Commissioner. He governs the entire food channels, and he has carried out more than 700 raids in 22 days of his posting".
Meanwhile, 'The India Story' is produced by Swati Vinayak Saindane, Anita Jadhav, Vinayak Saindane, Kalpesh Shah, Devyani Khorate, and Prem Joshi. The film is set to release in cinemas on July 24, 2026.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's refreshing to see celebrities using their platform to highlight real issues like food safety instead of just promoting their films. Kajal's words about "silent consumers" really hit home - we've all become so used to packaged food without questioning what's in it. More power to Tukaram sir and everyone fighting this fight!
While I appreciate Tukaram Munde's work, we need to ask why it takes one "firebrand" officer to do what should be routine. The system itself is broken if integrity is considered extraordinary. But yes, he deserves credit for doing his duty when others look the other way. Hope his actions inspire more officers to follow suit.
This is the kind of news that gives me hope. In a country where corruption is so normalized, seeing an IAS officer who takes his job seriously is like finding a diamond in the rough. And Kajal putting the spotlight on this issue is commendable. Let's hope 'The India Story' movie creates more awareness about food adulteration.
"Honesty and sincerity are simply part of my job and my DNA" - what a powerful statement! This is the kind of philosophy we need from every public servant. Tukaram Munde isn't just doing his job, he's setting a standard for what governance should look like. Kudos to Kajal for recognizing and amplifying his message.
Finally some good news! We've all heard horror stories about what goes into our food. Tukaram Munde is doing what every food
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