In a landmark decision, the Odisha government has appointed senior IAS officer Anu Garg as the new Chief Secretary of the state, making her the first woman to hold this prestigious position in Odisha’s administrative history.
The appointment was officially notified by the General Administration and Public Grievance Department on Wednesday.
Anu Garg, a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, will take charge on January 1, 2026, succeeding the current Chief Secretary, Manoj Ahuja, who retires on December 31, 2025.
Currently serving as Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary in the Planning and Convergence Department, with additional charge as Additional Chief Secretary in the Water Resources Department, Garg has been recognised for her outstanding contributions. Under her leadership, Odisha achieved the distinction of becoming the second-best state in the country for water resources management, earning a national award from the Vice President.
Born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Anu Garg is an accomplished academic. She graduated from Lady Shri Ram College in New Delhi, obtained a postgraduate degree in Social Sciences from Lucknow University, and earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the prestigious Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the USA in 2007. Her research papers on various aspects of public health have been published in renowned journals.
Garg’s illustrious career spans over three decades, with significant roles at both state and central levels. From 1992 to 2003, she served in various districts of Odisha as Additional District Magistrate, Sub-Collector, and District Collector. Between 2008 and 2012, she headed the Health and Family Welfare Department as Commissioner-cum-Secretary.
On central deputation, she held key positions including Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Textiles, Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Back in Odisha, she served as Principal Secretary in the Labour & ESI Department and the Women & Child Development Department.
In February 2023, she made history again by becoming Odisha’s first woman Development Commissioner.
Garg’s appointment as Chief Secretary is seen as a boost for gender representation in top administrative roles and is expected to bring continuity, policy expertise, and a focus on social sectors like health, women’s empowerment, and water management to the state’s governance.
