Pune, 24th July 2026

The Income Tax Department, Pune Region, today celebrated the 167th Income Tax Day (Aaykar Diwas) at a formal ceremony held at the Symbiosis Auditorium, Clover Park, Viman Nagar, Pune. Income Tax Day is observed every year on 24th July to commemorate the historic introduction of income tax in India in 1860. The day has served as an occasion to honour taxpayers, recognise outstanding officers, and reaffirm the Department's commitment to a transparent, technology-driven, and citizen-centric tax administration.

Dr. Narendra Jadhav, renowned economist, educationist, and former Member of Rajya Sabha, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Dr. Jadhav, a former Vice-Chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University, Chief Economist of the Reserve Bank of India, and Member of the Planning Commission, is a distinguished public figure.

In his address, Dr. Jadhav congratulated the Income Tax Department on the occasion of the 167th Income Tax Day and spoke on the theme of de-dollarisation and its implications for the global and Indian economies. Tracing the dollar's journey from the Bretton Woods Conference of 1944 through the Nixon shock of 1971 to the present, he noted that the dollar's share in global foreign exchange reserves has fallen from nearly 90 per cent in the 1960s to below 60 per cent today, driven by a multipolar geopolitical shift, the weaponisation of tariffs by the current US administration, and the growing use of local currencies in oil and commodity trade. Turning to India, he underscored that the country's vast market, democratic institutions, and skilled workforce position it as a major beneficiary of this transition, recommending measures such as promoting rupee-denominated trade, diversifying export partnerships, strengthening currency swap lines, and developing a digital rupee for cross-border payments. On a common BRICS currency, he offered a candid assessment — appealing but impractical given member nations' divergent political structures — suggesting a basket currency approach as a more realistic path.

The event was presided over by Shri Vivek Wadekar, IRS, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Pune. In his address, Shri Wadekar traced the Department's journey from the first introduction of income tax in 1860 to a collection of over ₹23 lakh crore last fiscal, highlighting the technology-led transformation — from manual files to AI-driven insights, physical scrutiny to faceless assessments, and basic enforcement to a trust-based system. He noted that out of nearly 9 crore returns filed last year, only about 1.65 lakh cases were selected for scrutiny through digital evaluation, reflecting greater faith in taxpayers and the impact of initiatives like the NUDGE campaign. The Pune Region, he said, contributed ₹1.33 lakh crore, ranking 6th nationally. Shri Wadekar emphasised that behind every digital reform and revenue milestone stands a human being — the members of the Income Tax family who work with quiet commitment, giving meaning to every change — and saluted every member of the Department, from the notice server to the senior-most officer.

The celebration was graced by senior dignitaries including, Shri Jagjivan K. Garg, IRS, DGIT (Investigation), Pune, along with other Principal Commissioners, Commissioners, and officers from across the Pune Region.

The ceremony commenced with the traditional lighting of the lamp and Ganesh Vandana, followed by the felicitation of the Chief Guest and dignitaries. A short film on the Income Tax Department was screened, along with a presentation on the profile of the Pune Region. Certificates of Appreciation were presented to top taxpayers of the Pune Region by the Pr. CCIT, Pune, in recognition of their exemplary compliance and contribution to nation-building through responsible tax payment.

In a celebration of the diverse talents of its officers and officials, the Department organised competitions across sports, arts, and literary disciplines in the lead-up to Income Tax Day. Winners in Table Tennis, Badminton, Carrom, Chess, Photography, Solo Singing, Painting, Rangoli, Quiz, Essay Writing, Debate, and literary contributions were felicitated — underscoring the Department's belief that its people are not only dedicated tax administrators but individuals of remarkable talent beyond their professional duties. The event concluded with an instrumental cultural programme titled “Asha: An Instrumental Tribute” presented by Gandharv Mahavidyalay, Pune

Income Tax Day holds a special place in India's fiscal history. The annual celebration of Income Tax Day underscores the Department's gratitude towards honest taxpayers and its unwavering commitment to fostering a culture of voluntary compliance, transparency, and good governance.

The Welcome Address was delivered by Shri Manish Kumar Singh - Commissioner of Income Tax (Administration & T.P.S.), Pune, and the Vote of Thanks was proposed by Shri Shashank Deogadkar - Addl. Commissioner of Income Tax (HQ) (Administration), Pune.

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Harshal Akude/Parshuram Kor

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