A Hyderabad based Bengali beauty Smita Sabharwal of 2001 batch IAS officer cleared the UPSC Exam at 23 years of age and was among the toppers’ list being All India Ranked 4th in the country. Smita Sabharwal is popularly known as “Peoples Officer”. She has become the country’s first lady IAS officer to be appointed to Chief Minister’s Office.
Smita Sabharwal is the current District Collector of Karimnagar district in Andhra Pradesh. She became a collector for the first time in her career when she was posted to Karimnagar in April 2011. Smita Sabharwal have set an example before the youngsters to ensure success through hard work and devotion, and also assures to be a good human being.
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Personal Life
Personal Life
Smita Sabharwal was born in West Bengal. Her father Colonel Pranab Das served in the Defense Department and her mother Purabi Das is a housemaker.
Though, Smita Sabharwal never wanted to enter Civil Services till graduation, her father’s encouragement inspired her to join Civil Services. She got inspiration from her mother. She used to say her one quote which inspired her a lot. “Everything becomes relevant once you put your heart into it”. Smita Sabharwal got married to Dr. Akun Sabharwal, IPS and is blessed with two children, Nanak and Bhuvis.
Her fans and supporters say she is “Hyderabadi at Heart”. She confides that it was because of her father’s initiation and encouragement that she is here.
Educational Background
The Bengali beauty Smita Sabharwal, who is basically from Darjeeling, has done most of her schooling in various parts of the country because of her father who served in the Indian Army. When he settled in Hyderabad then Smita completed her class 12th from St. Ann’s, Marredpally, Hyderabad. She got the first rank in the all-India ICSE Class 12 exams as she had taken the Commerce stream. She later graduated in Commerce from the St Francis Degree College for Women in Hyderabad.
Immediately after her graduation, she started preparing for the Civil Services Exams. She is a trained athlete and she also learnt Hindustani classical music, and she sings.
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Optional Paper
Smita Sabharwal had chosen Anthropology and Public Administration as her optional subjects for the UPSC Exam. She is one of the youngest to have cracked the Union Public Service Commission exam securing All India 4th rank and opted for the IAS.
Attempts
Smita Sabharwal failed to clear her Prelims in her first attempt, however, in the next chance, She clinched the All India 4th Rank. “It’s incredible! … After the grilling interview session, I expected maybe the 50th rank, but definitely not the 4th rank” she told in an interview to a newspaper then.
Preparation Strategy
Smita Sabharwal used to study only for six hours a day and play for at least an hour. “It is wrong to think that one can get through the Civil Services only by studying very hard. In the final round, your interests and hobbies are also taken into account for selections”, she says.
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Career Achievement of Smita Sabharwal
Smita Sabharwal is a true inspiration to many women and is a much-loved youth icon. She is the leading IAS officer of all times and has left all the others far behind. With 14 years of experience, she hates corruption, irresponsible staff and illegal activities.
Fund Your City
During her stint as Municipal Commissioner at Warangal, Smita Sabharwal introduced “Fund your City” scheme where a large number of public utilities such as Traffic Junctions, Foot-overbridges, Bus-stops, Parks were created with Public-Private Partnership(PPP).
Amma Lalana and Praja Vaani
In 2011 when Smita Sabharwal took charge as District Collector of Karimnagar district, she made a significant contribution in the Health and Education sector. Also with the help of Public Representatives, Karimnagar Town underwent a facelift in the form of wider roads, scientifically planned traffic junctions, Bus-stops, Toilets and other public utilities. Karimnagar district was awarded the best district in PM’s 20 Point Programme for 2012-2013.
Smita Sabharwal was Medak District Collector during the General Elections 2014 and successfully conducted free and fair polls.
Smita Sabharwal has always given Public Health and basic Education high priority, not to forget her hard work in upgrading the Government Hospitals. She has also been monitoring the Government Doctors over Skype calls and this has changed the face of Pubic Health drastically.
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