Indian women have come a long way in breaking down gender barriers and making their mark in various fields, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). The IAS is considered one of the most prestigious and challenging civil services in India and the success of these women in this field is a testament to their determination, hard work and unwavering commitment.
Driven and accomplished women IAS officers in India are setting benchmarks in their respective domains and are inspiring future generations of women.
The first Dalit woman to top civil services exam
Tina Dabi, an alumnus of Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi, made history by topping the prestigious Civil Services Examination in 2015, becoming the first Dalit woman to achieve this feat. She had topped the 2015 Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination and that too in the first attempt. She was only 22 years old at the time.
She was allotted the IAS cadre and first posted as Assistant Collector in Ajmer in Rajasthan where she received recognition for her efforts in promoting digital transactions and financial inclusion and implementation of various development projects and welfare schemes.
Dabi was later transferred for other posts where she continued to demonstrate her administrative skills and worked towards the upliftment of the economically and socially marginalised sections of the society. Her efforts in the implementation of various government schemes especially in the field of education have won her widespread recognition and praise.
She was later appointed as the Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) in Bhilwara, Rajasthan and then posted as the CEO-Zilla Parishad of Sri Ganganagar. This was followed by posting as Joint Secretary (Finance – Tax Department) in Jaipur and most recently, in 2022, she took charge as the 65th District Collector and Magistrate of Jaisalmer District of Rajasthan. She originally belongs to Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.
She has been involved in initiatives related to education, health and women empowerment. In her postings, she has made significant contributions towards improving the living standards of women and children in the state.
Aside from her professional work, Dabi is also known for her active presence on social media, where she uses the platforms to raise awareness about various social and environmental issues. She has a strong following among young people who admire her for her dedication and commitment to public service. Overall, Tina Dabi is a highly regarded IAS officer who has made a significant impact in her short career and continues to inspire young people across India to pursue a career in public service.
First woman IAS working in CMO office
Smita Sabharwal, an IAS officer of the 2001 batch, belonging to Telangana cadre and has served in various capacities in the state of Telangana. Presently, she has been appointed as the Secretary to the Chief Minister of the Government of Telangana and holds additional charge as Secretary, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Department (Mission Bhagiratha Department).
She is popularly known as ‘The People’s Officer’ for addressing citizen issues by involving people themselves. She is the first lady IAS Officer to be appointed to the Chief Minister’s Office. She is known for her hard work, dedication and commitment to public service.
Some of her notable achievements include playing a key role in the implementation of several welfare schemes in Telangana and efforts to improve the state’s infrastructure, etc. She has also spearheaded initiatives towards the development of rural areas in Telangana and has worked towards providing basic amenities such as water, electricity and healthcare services. She is also known to use latest technology for betterment of society such as in the implementation of government programmes on field.
Smita was born in a Bengali family in Darjeeling, West Bengal to an Army officer Colonel Pranab Das and Purabi Das. She was an all-India topper in the school ICSE exam. She was only 22 years old when she cleared the Union Public Service Commission exam in 2000, securing All-India-Rank four.
Her first posting was as Sub Collector, Madanapally in Chittoor where she got hands-on experience in Land Revenue Management and District Administration. She also worked in the Rural Development sector as Project Director, DRDA, Kadapa. As Warangal’s Municipal Commissioner, Smita introduced ‘Fund your City’ scheme. As part of this scheme, a large number of public utilities such as traffic junctions, foot-overbridges, bus-stops, parks were created with Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
In 2011, Smita Sabharwal was appointed Karimnagar’s District Collector. It was here she put in a lot of efforts in the areas of health and education. It was during her tenure that the Ammalalana scheme was successfully implemented in the district. This health initiative is for the improvement of institutional deliveries in the public sector. The success of this initiative was so well received that it became a role model for many other similar initiatives – such as high-risk pregnancy management targeting, IMR and MMR in NRHM of Government of India.
In fact, this initiative was also nominated as one of the best initiatives for Prime Minister’s award for excellence in public administration. Smita Sabharwal continues to work towards the betterment of the state and its people, and her work has earned her widespread recognition and respect.
Known for work in public administration
Sweta Mohanty is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who is known for her work in the field of public administration and rural development. She has held several important posts in the government machinery and has been responsible for many fruitful initiatives.
Sweta first cleared the examination in 2007 with 312th rank. It was in her third attempt that she secured the second rank in the All India UPSC examination and grabbed the coveted Indian Administrative Services. She feels the IAS preparation is not just for an exam but a continuous learning process that she thoroughly enjoyed.
Her family is originally from Puri. Sweta was born in Cuttack and raised in Hyderabad. She drew inspiration to give the civil services exam from her father, P K Mohanty who is an Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS officer, currently on deputation to the Centre. She recalls how her father works tireless for the development of the state and that’s what motivated her to follow his footsteps.
Sweta Mohanty assumed charge as Collector of Hyderabad in February 2020. She was later given additional charge as collector for Medak district in November 2020. Before that, she successfully and efficiently discharged her duties as the District Collector of Wanaparthy for three years. In 2021, she secured a seat for a one-year Masters in Public Administration exam in Harvard University.
The importance of women in public administration cannot be emphasised enough. It’s a great opportunity to make a difference, change lives and contribute in nation building. Women administrative officers are firebrand and feisty. The civil service exams of India are one of the toughest exams in the world. The job of a civil servant is coveted and a powerful one but it also comes with a lot of responsibilities but women administrators of India are battling all challenges with a smile and making a mark for themselves.