Who Is Devasish Sharma? Assam-Meghalaya Cadre IAS Officer Takes VRS After 34 Years, Set to Join BJP
After spending more than three decades navigating the corridors of government, district administration and public service, senior IAS officer Devasish Sharma has decided to take a completely different route. The Assam-Meghalaya cadre officer has opted for voluntary retirement from government service after around 34 years in administration, setting the stage for his entry into active politics.
Sharma, who was serving as the District Commissioner of Nagaon, had only a few months of service left when he chose to retire voluntarily. He had assumed charge of Nagaon in June 2025, and his decision to leave the bureaucracy before completing his tenure has now brought an eventful administrative career to a close. The move has also immediately sparked political interest in Assam, particularly because of speculation surrounding the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election.
Why Did Devasish Sharma Take VRS?
For Sharma, the decision appears to be less about stepping away from public life and more about changing the platform from which he wants to serve people. Speaking to The Times of India, he described his decision as a practical one, explaining that uncertainty about his political future was among the factors that prompted him to take voluntary retirement rather than simply wait for the remaining months of his government service.
The former bureaucrat made it clear that he did not want to remain caught between two possibilities. Instead of waiting to see what might happen after his retirement, he decided to make a clear choice and move ahead. He summed up that thinking with the familiar saying, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”
For Sharma, the transition is also about moving from one branch of governance to another. After spending his entire professional career in the executive side of government, he now wants to explore the legislative side of public life. “I have worked as an executive throughout my career. Now, I feel like working as part of the legislature,” he said.
Devasish Sharma to Join BJP
Sharma has confirmed that he intends to join the Bharatiya Janata Party after leaving government service. His decision has naturally led to speculation that the former IAS officer could be considered by the party for the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election.
Still, Sharma has been careful not to claim that he will contest the election. He has pointed out that joining a political party and receiving an election ticket are two entirely different matters. Ultimately, the decision on candidature rests with the party, especially when several people may be interested in contesting from the same constituency.
His position, therefore, remains fairly straightforward. He is set to join the BJP, but whether he becomes the party’s candidate in Nagaon will depend on the BJP’s final decision. For now, his political entry has created considerable interest because of the administrative experience he brings after decades in government.
Why Does Sharma Want to Enter Politics?
Sharma’s stated reason for entering politics is closely linked to his long association with public service. During his administrative career, he worked at several levels of government and spent considerable time dealing directly with citizens, local communities and public institutions. From district administration to municipal governance and work involving Assamese residents seeking medical treatment outside the state, his assignments repeatedly brought him into contact with people.
He has indicated that serving the public need not necessarily mean remaining within the bureaucracy. In his view, there are different institutional platforms through which public service can be pursued, and politics is now the route he wants to explore.
His political outlook has also been influenced by his assessment of the BJP’s tenure. Sharma has said that he witnessed what he described as maximum development and a practical approach to governance during the party’s tenure. That experience, according to the information available, has contributed to his decision to move towards active politics.
From Assam Civil Service to IAS
Devasish Sharma’s journey in administration began long before he became an IAS officer. Born on February 23, 1967, he joined the Assam Civil Services on May 25, 1992. He was subsequently inducted into the Indian Administrative Service through promotion as part of the 2011 batch.
A member of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Sharma has spent his career working across several important areas of administration. His postings have included field administration, the state secretariat, Raj Bhavan, municipal governance and Assam Bhawan in Mumbai, giving him experience across both grassroots administration and higher-level government responsibilities.
One of his early assignments was as a Circle Officer, where he was involved in field-level administration and flood-relief operations in Barpeta. In 1996, he was appointed Special Officer to the then Governor of Assam, Lt. Gen. S.K. Sinha, at Raj Bhavan. These early postings gave him exposure to both everyday administrative challenges and the workings of constitutional offices.
Long Association With Assam Bhawan in Mumbai
One of the most distinctive phases of Sharma’s career was his long association with Assam Bhawan in Mumbai. He served as Deputy Resident Commissioner and Joint Resident Commissioner during different periods between 2003 and 2021, spending a significant part of his career working with Assamese residents and visitors in Maharashtra.
His role in Mumbai extended well beyond routine administrative coordination. He became an important point of contact for patients from Assam who travelled to Mumbai for cancer treatment, an area that brought him into direct contact with families facing difficult medical circumstances.
His association with cancer-care initiatives subsequently became an important part of his wider public profile. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was also involved in coordinating relief packages and assistance for people from Assam, adding another dimension to his work outside conventional administrative responsibilities.
Served as Guwahati Municipal Commissioner
After his long stint at Assam Bhawan, Sharma moved into municipal administration and took charge as Commissioner of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation. He held the position from 2021 to 2022, placing him at the centre of urban governance in Assam’s largest city.
The assignment involved dealing with civic administration and the delivery of municipal services in a rapidly growing urban centre. His subsequent posting as District Commissioner of Morigaon brought him back into field administration, while other responsibilities included serving as Protocol Officer in the General Administration Department and Additional Secretary in the same department.
His varied postings meant that Sharma was not confined to a single administrative domain. Over the years, he moved between district-level governance, urban administration, government departments, constitutional offices and responsibilities involving Assamese citizens outside the state.
Final Posting Was as Nagaon DC
Sharma’s final major administrative assignment was as District Commissioner of Nagaon. He took charge of the district in June 2025 and continued in the post until opting for voluntary retirement in September 2026.
His departure from government service at this stage has therefore taken on added significance. Rather than simply completing the remaining months of his career and retiring as a bureaucrat, Sharma has chosen to make an early transition into politics.
The move effectively closes a professional chapter that began with his entry into the Assam Civil Service in 1992 and eventually took him into the IAS. It also places him in a new and potentially much more politically visible role.
Devasish Sharma’s Education and Early Life
Devasish Sharma was born on February 23, 1967, in Jorhat, Assam. His schooling took place at different institutions across the Northeast, including Government HS School in Daporijo, Don Bosco School in Dibrugarh and Swami Vivekananda Vidyalaya in Digboi.
He later moved to Delhi for higher education and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Ramjas College, University of Delhi. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Relations.
That educational background, coupled with more than three decades of government experience, provided the foundation for a career that would span multiple layers of public administration. His experience has also extended beyond conventional bureaucratic responsibilities.
Cancer Care and Humanitarian Work
Sharma’s public profile has not been built entirely around government postings. He has also been associated with humanitarian and cancer-care initiatives, including the founding of the Deepsikha Foundation, a non-profit organisation focused on cancer care, patient support and awareness initiatives in Northeast India.
He was also appointed Chairman of Cancer Care India, according to the information provided. His involvement in cancer-related initiatives added another dimension to his association with ordinary citizens, particularly families seeking treatment and support.
People who interacted with him during his administrative career have described him as an approachable officer who maintained direct contact with villagers and local communities. He has also been known for his interest in music and has occasionally sung regional classics at public and community events.
From Bureaucracy to Electoral Politics
Sharma’s voluntary retirement marks a striking shift after a career that covered almost every major stage of public administration. He began as an Assam Civil Service officer, worked in field administration and flood relief, served at Raj Bhavan, spent years at Assam Bhawan in Mumbai, headed the Guwahati Municipal Corporation and later served as District Commissioner in Morigaon and Nagaon.
Now, he is preparing to exchange the administrative file for the political arena. His planned entry into the BJP has already raised questions about whether the former bureaucrat could emerge as a possible candidate in the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election.
For the moment, though, Sharma himself is keeping that question open. He has made it clear that joining the BJP does not automatically translate into receiving an election ticket. That decision will ultimately belong to the party, particularly in a constituency where multiple aspirants could be in the race.
What happens next will depend on two things – Sharma’s formal political transition and the BJP’s decision on its candidate for Nagaon. Either way, his move is significant. After roughly 34 years spent serving from within the administrative system, Devasish Sharma is now preparing to test a very different way of influencing governance and public life.
