In a landmark moment for Odisha’s administration, senior IAS officer Anu Garg officially took charge as the state’s new Chief Secretary today, succeeding Manoj Ahuja upon his retirement.
The ceremonial handover marked the end of Ahuja’s tenure and the beginning of Garg’s leadership, making her the first woman to hold the top bureaucratic post in Odisha’s history.
Garg, a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, assumed the role effective January 1, 2026, but formally received charge in a traditional transition ceremony attended by senior officials. She becomes the 47th Chief Secretary of the state, bringing over three decades of administrative experience to the position.
The appointment, notified by the General Administration and Public Grievance Department on December 24, 2025, highlights a significant step toward gender diversity in Odisha’s governance. Garg had been serving as Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary for Planning and Convergence, with additional charge of the Water Resources Department. In 2023, she also made history as Odisha’s first woman Development Commissioner.
A native of Uttar Pradesh with a Master’s degree in Sociology and a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, Garg’s career spans grassroots administration, state-level policy-making, and central deputation. She began as Sub-Collector in Jharsuguda and served as Collector in districts like Bargarh and Sambalpur. At the state level, she headed key departments including Health and Family Welfare, Women and Child Development, and Labour and ESI.
Her central assignments included Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (2012–2015) and roles in the Ministries of Textiles and Health and Family Welfare. Garg is credited with conceptualising Mission Shakti, Odisha’s flagship women’s self-help group program that has empowered millions.
Outgoing Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, whose tenure was extended by one year, concluded his term today after a farewell meeting with officials. Ahuja, a 1990-batch officer, had taken charge in July 2024.
