Independent India’s first female IAS officer created history by defying stereotypes : Anna Rajam Malhotra
Anna Rajam Malhotra was the first Indian woman to join the Indian Administrative Service, serving as an IAS officer of the 1951 batch. She was born on July 17, 1927, in Kerala. She received her early education in the Ernakulam district of Kerala and earned a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Madras. After passing the Civil Services Examination in 1950, the interview board advised her to choose foreign or central services, citing it as difficult for women. However, she remained adamant and chose the latter. Her appointment letter also included a condition stating that she would have to leave the post upon marriage. She believed this position was not suitable for women, but she remained confident in her victory. Madras Chief Minister C. Rajagopalachari, instead of giving her charge of a district, posted her directly to the Madras Secretariat, where she worked with seven Madras Chief Ministers. She also played a key role in organizing the 1982 Asian Games. It was under her leadership that the country’s first computerized container port was built in Mumbai. She was married to former RBI Governor Ran Malhotra. During her illustrious administrative career spanning 40 years, she accomplished many landmark milestones for the country’s development. She was responsible for the construction and launch of India’s first fully modern and computerized container port, Nhava Seva, near Mumbai. As its chairperson, she successfully completed this landmark infrastructure project, for which she was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1989. She worked closely with then-MP Rajiv Gandhi to ensure the success of this major global event, overseeing all the logistical and financial preparations for the 1982 Asian Games held in Delhi. Strengthened the country’s agricultural systems by serving as Chairperson of the National Seeds Corporation and also toured eight states to review food production with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. She was the first woman in the country to hold the position of Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Government of India. She worked closely with seven different Chief Ministers in several important departments such as Agriculture, Revenue, and Public Administration under the Government of Madras. She also represented the country as Executive Director of India at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C. Major Honours The Padma Bhushan was a civilian award bestowed upon her by the Government of India in 1989, specifically for her contributions to the country’s administrative sphere and for successfully completing the modern Jawaharlal Nehru Port Project in Mumbai. Furthermore, the distinction of becoming the first woman IAS officer of independent India is a major historical honor, opening the doors of the civil services for millions of Indian women to come.
Vikram Misri: From PMO Insider to India’s Top Diplomat, Steering Foreign Policy Through Global Challenges
Vikram Misri currently serves as India’s Foreign Secretary, having assumed the office on July 15, 2024. Prior to becoming Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri served as India’s Ambassador to China, Spain, and Myanmar. Additionally, he has served as the Private Secretary to former Prime Ministers Inder Kumar Gujral and Dr. Manmohan Singh, as well as to the current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Before becoming Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri also served as India’s Deputy National Security Advisor from January 2022 to June 2024. Vikram Misri was born on November 7, 1964, into a Kashmiri Hindu family in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. He completed his early education at The Scindia School. Following his early schooling, he pursued a Bachelor’s degree in History at Hindu College, University of Delhi. After his graduation, he obtained an MBA degree from the Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI), Jamshedpur. Upon completing his studies, he worked in the advertising sector for approximately three years. In 1979, he joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS); subsequently, between 1991 and 1996, he served in various capacities at Indian diplomatic missions in Brussels and Tunis. In 1997, he was appointed as the Private Secretary to the then-Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral. Thereafter, he made significant contributions while serving in the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of External Affairs, as well as at several Indian diplomatic missions abroad. Subsequently, in 2012, he was appointed as the Private Secretary to the then-Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh. Following Dr. Manmohan Singh’s tenure, when Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, Misri was appointed as his Private Secretary as well. In 2014, he was appointed as India’s Ambassador to Spain; subsequently, in 2016, he was appointed as the Ambassador to Myanmar. Finally, in 2019, he was entrusted with the post of Ambassador to China. He served as Ambassador during the India-China clashes from 2020 to 2021 and held several key meetings with senior Chinese officials, including Jianchou, to discuss the tensions.