Tina Dabi, 2015 UPSC Civil Services Examination topper and currently the District Collector of Barmer, Rajasthan, has been trending on social media for the wrong reasons after a video of the Republic Day 2026 ceremony went viral.
In the video clip, IAS officer Tina Dabi is seen saluting during the flag-hoisting ceremony, but she looks confused and even faces the crowd in the wrong direction. After being corrected about her position, she turns to the crowd and the ceremony continued smoothly. The short clip went viral across various social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook, sparking intense debate.
From comments that criticised her moral code of conduct to questioning her presence of mind, enraged social media users shared their opinion on the widely shared video.
Social media reactions have been sharply divided. Critics accused her of being careless or overly camera-conscious, while supporters called the backlash unnecessary, pointing out the immense pressure public officials face during high-profile national events.
Born in 1993, Tina Dabi shot to national fame when she secured All India Rank 1 in the UPSC exam, becoming a symbol of academic excellence and ambition for millions of aspirants. Over the years, she has remained in the public eye—not just for her exam success, but also for her administrative work and personal life.
Also Read
- Republic Day 2026: The cricket connection behind Vande Mataram
- India’s military prowess on full display at Republic Day parade; Op Sindoor tableau, S-400 among major attractions
- 'Border 2' box office collection day 4: Sunny Deol-Varun Dhawan starrer set for monstrous Republic Day; trends confirm BLOCKBUSTER long run
Many commentators also weighed in, describing the incident as a human error rather than a serious breach of protocol .
This is not the first time Tina Dabi has been much talked about on social media. From her UPSC success and high-profile marriage and divorce to her remarriage and motherhood, her personal milestones have often drawn mixed reactions from netizens.