The Government of Odisha has promoted four senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers from the 1996 batch to the prestigious Apex Grade (Level-17 of the IAS Pay Matrix), effective from February 1, 2026.
According to a notification issued by the General Administration & Public Grievance Department on January 31, 2026, the following officers have been granted promotion to the Apex Grade and appointed to the rank of Additional Chief Secretary. They will continue in their current positions in situ until further orders:
- Saswata Mishra, IAS (RR-1996) — Currently serving as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Odisha, with additional responsibilities including the Finance Department.
- Vishal Kumar Dev, IAS (RR-1996) — A senior bureaucrat known for his roles in key departments such as Finance, Energy, Electronics & Information Technology, and others.
- Usha Padhee, IAS (RR-1996) — Principal Secretary in the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department (and previously associated with Commerce & Transport).
Additionally, Vir Vikram Yadav, IAS (RR-1996), who is currently on Central deputation (serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India), has been granted proforma promotion to the Apex Grade under the relevant provisions of the IAS (Pay) Rules, 2016.
