TNI Bureau: Senior IAS officer Anu Garg officially assumed charge as the Chief Secretary of Odisha, creating history as the first woman to hold the state’s highest bureaucratic position since its formation. She succeeds Shri Manoj Ahuja, who retired from service on December 31, 2025.

A 1991-batch Indian Administrative Service officer, Smt. Garg brings more than three decades of administrative experience to the post. Before her elevation, she served as Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary and was in charge of the Water Resources and Planning & Convergence Departments. She had earlier made history as the first woman Development Commissioner of Odisha.

During her long career, she has handled several key departments, including Health & Family Welfare, Women & Child Development, and Labour & ESI. She has also served on Central deputation, holding important positions as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office and in the Ministries of Textiles and Health & Family Welfare.

An alumna of Lady Shri Ram College and Lucknow University, Smt. Garg also holds a Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University in the United States.

After assuming office, the new Chief Secretary said her priority would be to strengthen administrative efficiency and ensure effective implementation of the state government’s development and welfare programmes. Her tenure as Chief Secretary is expected to continue until March 2029.