Service Before Self : Eight Women IAS Officers Raising the Bar

Every page of the UPSC examination notification has the footnote, "Government strives to have a workforce which reflects gender balance and women candidates are encouraged to apply." Though there is only one female officer for every 20 male officers, the number is constantly increasing with the passing years. Many women are cracking the exam and coming out with excellent scores, setting an example for others who aspire to join India's civil services. These are 8 incredibly successful women IAS officers to watch out for.

1. Annies Kanmani Joy

An Indian Administrator and former nurse, Annies Kanmani Joy serves as a Deputy Commissioner at Kodagu, Karnataka. She received national recognition during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The administrator contributed towards containing the transmission of the virus in her district. Kodagu reported no new COVID-19 positive cases for 28 days in the month of July, 2020 as it followed strict protocols.  

2. Beela Rajesh

Beela Rajesh, a 1997 batch IAS officer was appointed as Health Secretary at the department of Health and Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu in Feb 2019. Prior to this, she performed the role of a Commissioner, Indian Medicine and Homeopathy for the state. She has also served as sub-collector of Chengalpattu and the Commissioner of Fisheries and Town and Country Planning in her state. Rajesh gained popularity for acting as a frontline warrior in the times of the pandemic.

She Gets It Done : Eight Women IAS Officers Raising the Bar

3. Hari Chandana Dasari

Hari Chandana Dasari is an IAS officer of the Telangana cadre. She is known for 'green revolution' in Hyderabad. Through this campaign, she initiated several initiatives to recycle plastic. It brought the city several accolades. She is currently posted as the DM and Collector of Telangana's Narayanpet district. Dasari has implemented many useful schemes such as Pet Parks, She Toilets, She Mart etc.

4. Durga Shakti Nagpal

In 2009, Durga Shakti Nagpal's secured the twentieth position in the UPSC civil services exam. She started her career in the Punjab cadre. While Nagpal was still a trainee IAS officer, she exposed a land scam in Mohali. In 2011, she moved to the UP cadre as the SDM of Sadar, Noida. Here she took on the sand mafia who was responsible for the illegal sand mining of the Yamuna and the Hindon river banks.

5. Rajni Shekhri Sibal

Currently holding the position of the Secretary, Government of India, Rajni Shekhri Sibal was the the first woman to top the Civil Services Examination in 1986. As the Additional Secretary (Disaster Management) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI, Sibal handled the response and relief efforts during the Kerala floods and other situations of calamity such as Titli, Gaja, Pabuk and Pethai cyclones.

6. Preeti Sudan

Preeti Sudan is an IAS officer of 1983 batch who holds an M. Phil Degree in Economics and is a Postgraduate in Social Policy and Planning from the London School of Economics. She is an ex-Consultant with World Bank in Washington and is presently serving as Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Her ministry is the nodal agency that fights the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with Harsh Vardhan, Union Health Minister, Preeti coordinates with sister departments in the central and state government. 

7. Smita Sabharwal

Also called the 'People's Officer', Smita Sabharwal is the first female IAS officer to be appointed to a Chief Minister's Office. She served as the District Collector of Karimnagar, Andra Pradesh. Sabharwal introduced the scheme "Fund your City" as the Municipal Commissioner at Warangal. Under this scheme, a large number of public utilities like foot over bridges, Traffic Junctions, Bus Stops, Parks etc were constructed with public-private partnership.

8. Tina Dabi

The 26-year old IAS officer Tina Dabi has held the position of a sub-divisional magistrate since 2018. In order to contain the spread of the coronavirus in Bhilwara, Rajasthan, Dabi isolated the district and shifted the patients to quarantine and isolation wards. She also started monitoring the villages. Lockdown in Bhilwara began much before it was imposed on the nation.

These were some of the most inspirational women IAS officers we are proud to have. Would like to share more names?