New Delhi: When Anu Garg assumes office as Odisha’s Chief Secretary on January 1, 2026, she will do more than take charge of the state’s powerful bureaucracy. She will rewrite its history.
A 1991-batch IAS officer, Garg becomes Odisha’s first woman Chief Secretary, ending decades of male dominance at the apex of the state administration. Her appointment follows the retirement of Manoj Ahuja and comes at a politically sensitive moment as Odisha adjusts to new leadership and a demanding governance calendar.
Known in bureaucratic circles as a “silent performer,” Garg has built a career on outcomes rather than optics. A native of Uttar Pradesh, she is an alumna of Lady Shri Ram College and Johns Hopkins University, with academic grounding in sociology and public health — a rare combination in India’s senior civil services.
Before this elevation, Garg had already broken another barrier as Odisha’s first woman Development Commissioner, overseeing core departments and acting as the government’s principal coordinator on development and reform.
A Powerhouse at the Centre
Garg’s rise is anchored in some of the most high-pressure postings in New Delhi. From 2012 to 2015, she served as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, placing her at the nerve centre of national decision-making. The PMO stint sharpened her skills in inter-ministerial coordination, infrastructure oversight and crisis management — experience now seen as critical for Odisha’s complex governance challenges.
She later served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, where her training from Johns Hopkins proved decisive. Garg played a role in shaping health policy frameworks and served on the Planning Commission’s High-Level Expert Group on Universal Health Coverage, contributing to debates that later informed national health reforms.
Her tenure in the Ministry of Textiles focused on modernization, handloom promotion and value-chain reforms — experience that resonates strongly in Odisha, home to some of India’s most vibrant weaving traditions.
High-Stakes Challenges Ahead
As Chief Secretary, Garg steps into a role where symbolism quickly gives way to scrutiny.
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Election Management: Panchayat and municipal polls are approaching, placing the bureaucracy’s neutrality under the spotlight.
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Corruption Control: The government’s zero-tolerance stance will test her ability to enforce accountability deep within the administrative machinery.
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Mahanadi Water Dispute: Long-running tensions with Chhattisgarh over river water sharing demand legal precision and political tact.
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Agrarian Stress: Fixing gaps in the paddy procurement system and restoring farmer confidence remains a priority.
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Social Outcomes: With her public health background, expectations are high on women’s safety, nutrition and welfare delivery.
Garg’s supporters say her blend of central exposure and deep institutional knowledge of Odisha gives her an edge at a moment when governance, not rhetoric, will define political success.
As Odisha enters a new administrative chapter, Anu Garg’s appointment signals not just representation — but a test of whether quiet competence can steer the state through turbulence.
