Who is the First Women IAS Officer in India? The first woman IAS officer in India was Anna Rajam Malhotra. At the age of 27, she appeared for UPSC, one of the toughest exams in India and cleared it in her first attempt itself, and joined the Indian Civil Service in 1951.
Anna Rajam Malhotra was born on 17 July 1924 in Ernakulam district of Kerala. After completing her schooling she came to Chennai and was enrolled in Madras University.
During her IAS interview, Anna Rajam was asked to choose Foreign Service and Central Services but she stuck to her decision and decided to become an IAS Officer and chose Madras Cadre.
During the IAS service, Anna Rajam Malhotra accompanied 2 Prime Ministers and 7 Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu including Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. When Indira Gandhi went on a tour of eight states to understand the food production pattern, Anna Rajam Malhotra also accompanied her. Apart from this, Anna Rajam Malhotra also worked with Rajiv Gandhi in the year 1982, being in charge of the Asian Games in Delhi. After being appointed to the Central Service, Anna Rajam Malhotra has also served in the Union Home Ministry.
She also held the roles of Under Secretary for Agriculture, Under Secretary and Deputy Secretary for the Public, and Secretary to Government for the Agriculture Department while employed by the Government of Madras. She has held several significant roles with the Indian government, including those of chairwoman of the National Seeds Corporation, secretary to the government of India, deputy secretary of the department of revenue in the ministry of finance, and additional secretary of agriculture.
As Chairperson, of Nhavasheva Port Trust, Anna Malhotra women IAS Officer in India was responsible for building India’s first computerized port, Nhava Sheva, in Mumbai and was also the first woman to serve as a Secretary to the Government of India. After this when she retired she worked as the director of Hotel Leela Venture Limited and was honored with Padma Bhushan Award in 1989. She died on 17 September 2018 at the age of 91.
