IAS Officer Divya Mittal Resigns After 13 Years, Recalls Journey From London to UP Cadre

Divya Mittal, a 2013-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, has voluntarily resigned from service after a 13-year career. The 42-year-old announced her decision on Sunday through a post on X, describing her time in public service as an "unforgettable journey."

Mittal's path to the civil services was unconventional. An alumna of IIT Delhi and IIM Bangalore, she initially built a career in the finance industry in London. Despite professional success abroad, she felt a persistent void and a longing to serve her homeland, which prompted her to return to India and prepare for the UPSC examination. She secured an All India Rank of 68 in the 2012 exam.

In her resignation post, Mittal reflected on the initial pull away from India. "Having grown up in humble surroundings, I had dreamed of a good, successful life," she wrote. "But even after attaining everything, something still felt incomplete. Being away from my country weighed on me."

During her tenure, Mittal held several key positions, including District Magistrate in Deoria, Mirzapur, and Sant Kabir Nagar, and served as Special Secretary in the Revenue Department. She credited her postings with shaping her perspective, noting that Deoria taught her that standing with what is right is a duty, while Mirzapur showed her that "impossible" is merely an opinion.

Concluding her post with a poignant memory, Mittal recalled an elderly woman from Lahuriya Dih whose village received water for the first time. "The position may be left behind today, but that touch will never leave me in this lifetime," she wrote, adding that the dream inspired by the country's soil will also remain with her.