Divya Mittal, a 2013 IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, made headlines and left netizens in an uproar after she resigned from her civil service post after 13 years of service on Monday. She was serving as Special Secretary in the Revenue Department in Lucknow.
In a lengthy post on X, she said, “Today, I have voluntarily stepped away from an unforgettable 13-year journey by resigning from the IAS.”
She described her journey in service as “unforgettable”.
Before Mittal, 43, was posted to Lucknow, she served in several positions across Uttar Pradesh, including as district magistrate in Sant Kabir Nagar, Mirzapur and Deoria.
At the time of her resignation, she was serving as Special Secretary in the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Department, according to reports.
She became well known for a field-level approach to her work and an active presence on social media. She was particularly known for her effort to bring piped water to the remote Lahuria Dah village.
One X user wrote, “We lost another good officer, IAS Divya Mittal, today.”
“I still remember the case where people in a UP village were dependent on tanker water for 75 years. Villagers requested the MP and MLA many times, but nothing was done. Then she brought tap water to the village. But she was transferred just because she didn’t invite the local MLA for the inauguration of the water project.
“After that, the pipeline supplying water to the village was vandalised by some goons. It feels like our system is designed to punish honest officers.”
“I don’t know the reason for her resignation, but I am sure her honesty must have played a role.” The post continued.
Another user said, “ IAS Divya Mittal carved out her distinct identity in Mirzapur as 'Bhagirath'. A straightforward, simple, and grounded officer, whose personality showed no arrogance of office. Direct communication with the public and dedication to work became her hallmark. “
Many others described Mittal as “renowned” and a “remarkable woman”.
Netizens also questioned why Mittal was sent to the secretariat after she brought piped water to Lahuriyadah in Mirzapur.
The exact reason for her resignation is unclear. There are speculations that Mittal wanted a field posting and was sidelined for four months after a sudden transfer. Many speculated that she was unhappy with the post. She had about 17 years before retirement.
Mittal had made headlines in the state before for her no-nonsense approach to her work. Once she was reportedly seen reprimanding a PWD official over alleged negligence in bridge construction. When the ADM asked her to move to the shade from the heat and talk to the official, she responded, “Come on, it’s just the heat. Wait, we won’t melt."
“You have turned this into a spectacle. SDM, investigate the entire matter and submit a report. Don’t repeat this kind of behaviour. I will actually send you to jail.”
Mittal had an unusual path to civil service. She studied at IIT Delhi and IIM Bangalore and had earlier worked with JP Morgan in London before coming back to India to join the Civil Services.
Mittal's husband, Gagandeep Singh, also studied at IIT and IIM and had resigned from the Indian Trade Service in 2022.
In her post, Mittal wrote, “Deoria taught me that standing with what is right is not an option, but a duty. Mirzapur taught me that ‘impossible' is not a fact, but just an opinion,” she said.
She also said that her time in Mirzapur gave her a deeper connection with the people “And sitting at the feet of Mother Vindhyavasini, I learned that true power comes not from any position, but from her grace and the trust of the people,” she said.
“I was a fool to think I had come to give something. The truth is, I received the most, and that debt only grew deeper,” she said. “I received so much love, so much respect, so much belonging, that my lap overflowed,” she said.
At the end of her post, she recalled an elderly woman from Lahuriya Dih who touched and blessed her after water reached her village for the first time.
“The position may be left behind today, but that touch will never leave me in this lifetime,” Mittal concluded.
