Who is Divya Mittal? Why did IAS officer announce resignation on X after 13 years in civil services? What we know

Uttar Pradesh-cadre IAS officer Divya Mittal has resigned from the Indian Administrative Service after 13 years of service. She announced her resignation via a lengthy post on X, talking about her decision. The 2013-batch officer has served as district magistrate in three districts of the state.

IAS Divya Mittal announces resignation on X

“Today, I have voluntarily resigned from the IAS, bringing to an end an unforgettable journey of 13 years,” Divya Mittal said.

"Having grown up in humble surroundings, I had dreamed of a good, successful life. After burning the midnight oil to study at IIT Delhi and IIM Bangalore, I landed a job in London. But even after attaining "everything," something still felt incomplete. Being away from my country weighed on me. My education, my confidence, the strength to walk tall anywhere in the world—all of it was a debt owed to this soil. That debt had to be repaid. I wanted my handprints on the bricks that would build the India I had dreamed of. So I returned, and was fortunate enough to become an IAS officer," she added.

Resign reason

However, the IAS officer did not clarify her reason for stepping down from her position. Amid this, multiple reports have speculated that the popular IAS officer is likely to enter politics. Live Mint couldn't independently verify this claim.

Who is Divya Mittal? Education from top notch institutes

Hailing from Rewari in Haryana, Divya Mittal completed her BTech degree from IIT Delhi and pursued an MBA from IIM Bangalore. Post MBA, Mittal shifted to London for her job at JPMorgan.

In 2011, Mittal left her corporate life to return to India and prepare for the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

She gave her first attempt at the UPSC examination in 2012 and qualified for the Indian Police Service. In 2013, she reappeared and cleared once again, securing the 68th rank and joining the IAS.

During her tenure, Divya Mittal served as district magistrate of Sant Kabir Nagar, Mirzapur and Deoria in Uttar Pradesh. At the time of her resignation, Mittal was posted as special secretary at the state government's Revenue Department.

Talking about her postings, Mittal mentioned in her X post, “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.”

What's next for her?

Divya Mittal has not officially announced her next career move. She is yet to confirm or deny rumours of her entry into politics.

She told ThePrint, “Nothing has triggered me. It’s just that, for the past few months, I have been thinking that I am done with this job. I have not planned anything for the future. I will speak about it when the time comes.”

However, the state government has not yet officially received her resignation.

“We have not yet received her resignation,” a senior official told news agency PTI. Reportedly, appropriate action will be taken once the letter is received formally.