IAS Anu Garg: The Trailblazing 1991-Batch Officer Poised to Become Odisha’s Next Chief Secretary
In Odisha’s administrative circles, anticipation is mounting that IAS officer Anu Garg may soon be elevated to the state’s highest bureaucratic post as Chief Secretary, should the incumbent, Manoj Ahuja (IAS: 1990, Odisha cadre), not receive another extension beyond 31 December 2025. Mr. Ahuja, who assumed charge on 1 July 2024 shortly after the BJP government led by Chief Minister Mohan Majhi took office, was granted a one-year extension in December 2024. His tenure is now approaching its conclusion, fueling speculation about succession.
Career Milestones of Anu Garg
A distinguished 1991-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, Anu Garg carved history in February 2023 by becoming the first woman IAS officer to serve as Odisha’s Development Commissioner. She succeeded Pradeep Jena, simultaneously taking charge as Additional Chief Secretary of the Planning and Convergence Department, thereby becoming the second-highest-ranking bureaucrat in the state.
Her career portfolio includes several pivotal assignments:
Principal Secretary, Water Resources
Principal Secretary, Women and Child Development
Principal Secretary, Labour and ESI
Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Health and Family Welfare
At the central government level, she has held influential positions:
Joint Secretary to the Prime Minister (2012–2015)
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles (2015–2017)
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Education and Early Life
Born on 1 March 1969 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Anu Garg pursued a strong academic foundation:
B.A. from Delhi University
M.A. in Sociology from Lucknow University
Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she received the prestigious John C. Hume Award for Excellence and Promise.
She also underwent rigorous training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (1991–1993), specializing in public administration.
Key Achievements and Contributions
First woman Development Commissioner in Odisha, breaking a long-standing glass ceiling.
Founder Director of Mission Shakti, a flagship initiative empowering women’s self-help groups across the state.
Oversaw healthcare programs, nutrition interventions, and child protection policies, ensuring inclusive social development.
Played a central role in ease-of-doing-business reforms and initiatives for industrial worker welfare.
Promotion and Recognition
On 15 January 2022, the Odisha government promoted Anu Garg to the Apex Scale (Level-17) of the IAS, a rank reserved for the most senior officers in the service. Her extensive experience across both state and central administration has positioned her as a formidable contender for the role of Chief Secretary.
Personal Attributes
Fluent in English, Hindi, and Oriya, Anu Garg is widely admired for her policy expertise, leadership in social sectors, and ability to drive large-scale administrative reforms. Colleagues describe her as a leader who combines strategic vision with empathetic governance, ensuring that reforms are both people-centric and institutionally robust.
Likely Appointment as Chief Secretary
If Manoj Ahuja is not granted another extension beyond 31 December 2025, Anu Garg is widely regarded as the front-runner to assume the position of Chief Secretary of Odisha. Her appointment would not only mark a historic milestone for women in the state’s bureaucracy but also bring to the helm an officer with proven credentials in developmental leadership, social equity, and administrative innovation.
Anu Garg’s journey—from her academic beginnings in Lucknow to her trailblazing role as Odisha’s Development Commissioner—illustrates the rise of a bureaucrat whose career has consistently blended vision, reform, and inclusivity. Her potential elevation as Chief Secretary would symbolize both continuity and transformation in Odisha’s governance.
