Who Is IAS Shreya Singhal? Meet the 2020-Batch Officer Leading J&K’s First International Film Festival 2026
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has entrusted one of its young IAS officers with a landmark cultural assignment. Shreya Singhal, a 2020-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer, has been appointed Festival Director for the inaugural International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK) 2026, a four-day event scheduled to take place from September 7 to September 10 across Srinagar, Jammu and Gulmarg.
The appointment, made through an order issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), places Singhal at the centre of one of the Union Territory’s most ambitious cultural initiatives. As Festival Director, she will oversee planning, coordination and execution of the event while working closely with multiple government departments, tourism authorities, cultural institutions and security agencies.
The festival is expected to serve as more than just a cinematic celebration. It is being positioned as an opportunity to project Jammu and Kashmir as a destination where culture, tourism and filmmaking can come together on an international platform.
Young IAS Officer Gets a High-Profile Responsibility
Shreya Singhal is currently serving as Director, Information, Jammu and Kashmir, a role that already places her at the heart of the government’s public communication machinery. With the additional responsibility of Festival Director, her portfolio has expanded considerably as preparations gather pace for the Union Territory’s first international film festival.
The assignment demands much more than event management. It requires coordinating numerous stakeholders, ensuring seamless communication between departments and keeping preparations on track for an event that will span multiple cities and venues.
The government has clearly signalled the importance of the festival by assigning the responsibility to an officer who has already handled significant tourism, infrastructure and public communication assignments within Jammu and Kashmir.
IFFJK 2026 to Be Held Across Three Locations
The inaugural edition of the International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir has been designed as a multi-city event rather than a single-location festival. The Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar will host the main programme, making it the festival’s principal venue.
Parallel events are also planned in Jammu and Gulmarg, extending the festival’s reach across different parts of the Union Territory. This wider geographical footprint reflects the administration’s effort to showcase the region’s diverse cultural and tourism landscape instead of limiting the event to one city.
Holding events across three locations naturally adds another layer of administrative complexity. Transportation, security arrangements, hospitality, venue management and coordination between departments become significantly more demanding when multiple venues operate simultaneously.
That is precisely where Singhal’s role becomes crucial.
Government Orders Full Administrative Coordination
The General Administration Department’s order leaves little room for ambiguity about the level of coordination expected from the administration.
Shreya Singhal has been directed to work closely with the Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, designated nodal officers and various government departments involved in organising the festival.
Every department connected with the event has also been instructed to provide full cooperation and ensure prompt action on matters falling within its jurisdiction.
Such coordination is expected to involve tourism authorities, information and publicity officials, cultural bodies, district administrations, security agencies and several other government institutions working together to deliver a successful international event.
Who Is IAS Shreya Singhal?
Shreya Singhal belongs to the 2020 batch of the Indian Administrative Service under the AGMUT cadre, which serves Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories.
She secured All India Rank 176 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2020, clearing one of the country’s toughest competitive examinations on her third attempt.
Her journey reflects persistence as much as achievement. Rather than succeeding immediately, she continued refining her preparation before eventually earning a place in the prestigious civil service. Born on April 25, 1996, Singhal hails from Sarsawa in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district.
Before entering public service, she pursued engineering and completed her Bachelor of Technology in Chemical Engineering from the Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur. Her academic background in engineering eventually gave way to a career dedicated to governance and public administration.
Administrative Journey Across Multiple Regions
Although she belongs to a relatively young IAS batch, Singhal’s career has already taken her through diverse administrative assignments across different parts of India. Her postings have exposed her to district administration, education management, tourism development, infrastructure projects and government communication.
That varied experience has helped build expertise across multiple sectors rather than confining her to a single administrative domain. Working across different states and Union Territories has also given her exposure to varying governance models and administrative challenges.
Early Experience in Assam
One of Singhal’s earlier field assignments came in Golaghat, Assam, where she served as Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO). The SDO’s office is often considered one of the most demanding field-level administrative positions for young IAS officers.
It involves handling revenue matters, law and order coordination, public grievance redressal and day-to-day governance at the subdivision level. The assignment provided valuable experience in frontline administration and decision-making at the grassroots level.
Assignment in Delhi’s Education Administration
Before taking up her present responsibilities in Jammu and Kashmir, Singhal also worked as Additional Director in the Directorate of Education, Delhi. The posting exposed her to institutional management within one of the country’s largest public education systems.
Managing departmental responsibilities in Delhi’s education administration added another dimension to her experience before she moved into her current assignments in Jammu and Kashmir.
Key Roles in Jammu and Kashmir Administration
Singhal’s responsibilities in Jammu and Kashmir have steadily expanded over the past few years. In 2025, she was appointed Managing Director of the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC).
The position placed her at the centre of tourism-related administrative initiatives, an area that continues to remain one of the Union Territory’s major economic priorities.
She has also served as Chief Executive Officer of the Jammu and Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency (J&KERA). The agency plays a significant role in implementing infrastructure projects and externally aided development programmes across the Union Territory.
These assignments brought together administrative planning, project execution and institutional coordination – skills that align closely with the demands of organising a large-scale international festival.
Director, Information Since April 2026
In April 2026, Singhal assumed charge as Director, Information, Jammu and Kashmir. The department is responsible for managing the government’s communication strategy, disseminating official information and coordinating with media organisations.
That experience is particularly relevant for an international film festival, where publicity, media management and communication become central components of the event’s success.
Her current role already requires interaction with journalists, public institutions and government departments on a regular basis.
Why Her Current Portfolio Fits the Festival Assignment
The appointment as Festival Director appears closely aligned with Singhal’s existing responsibilities. As Managing Director of JKTDC, she operates within Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism ecosystem. As Director, Information, she oversees public communication. Together, these roles provide a natural foundation for coordinating a film festival that aims to promote both culture and tourism.
The assignment will require balancing logistical planning with promotional efforts while ensuring that multiple departments remain aligned throughout the preparation process. It is a role where administrative coordination becomes just as important as creative execution.
A Landmark Event for Jammu and Kashmir
The inaugural International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir marks a significant cultural milestone for the Union Territory.
With its main programme scheduled at SKICC in Srinagar and additional events planned in Jammu and Gulmarg, the festival seeks to create a platform that connects cinema with the region’s scenic landscapes, tourism potential and cultural identity.
The event is expected to involve extensive collaboration between civil administration, tourism authorities, cultural organisations, security agencies and other stakeholders, making it one of the most coordinated government-led cultural initiatives in recent years.
At the centre of that effort will be IAS Shreya Singhal, who now carries the responsibility of ensuring that Jammu and Kashmir’s first international film festival is planned, coordinated and executed smoothly as the administration prepares to welcome participants and audiences from across India and beyond.
