https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Tale of Two Neighboring States- both with Women Chief Secretaries

Is this the rarest of the rare phenomenon: with both Punjab and Haryana having women chief secretaries at the same time? But the similarities do not end here.
Indian Masterminds Stories

It’s quite a rare occurrence, actually, with both Punjab and Haryana having women IAS officers as Chief Secretaries at the moment. While Ms Keshni Anand Arora is the CS of Haryana, Ms Vini Mahajan takes charge in Punjab.

But the similarities do not end here. Both the Chief Secretaties come with well established `civil services connections.’ Ms Keshni’s two sisters Ms Urvashi Gulati and Ms Meenakshi Anand Arora also held the position of Haryana’s Chief Secretary at one time. On the other hand, Punjab Chief Secretary Ms Mahajan’s husband, Mr Dinkar Gupta (a 1987 batch IPS officer) is at present the Director General of Police, Punjab.                                                                      

Three Sisters, all Chief Secretaries!

Known for her impressive track record, Ms Keshni Arora has made history by becoming the third sister from a family to hold the position of Chief Secretary of a state. Prior to her appointment, she worked as the Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue). Ms Keshni will retain the post till September 30, 2020, when she is due for retirement.The eldest of the lot, Meenakshi Anand Arora, a 1969- batch officer, was the first female Chief Secretary of Haryana. Subsequently, Urvashi Gulati, the middle sister and a 1975- batch IAS officer held the same position. It should be noted that such a case hasn’t been seen before in any other part of our India.

The three Haryana sisters have remarkably portrayed t that that there is not end to what women can achieve, if they are take charge of their lives and work towards their goal with profound dedication. Ms Keshni, along with her sisters, has set an example for the women of Haryana, a state known for its low sex ratio. They are a source of motivation for millions of women across the length and breadth of the country.

Ms Keshni has a degree in MBA from University of Sydney, Australia. She is the epitome of a powerful woman whose perseverance has led to her ultimate success. Just like her sisters, Ms Keshni was taught by her father, Prof JC Anand, a Political Science professor. Their mother was a firm believer of women empowerment and wanted her daughters to become independent. With their parents as their main source of inspiration, the three sisters studied diligently and cracked the UPSC exam in the first attempt. While Ms Keshni secured the second rank, the other two were amongst the top 20 candidates of their respective batches.

Punjab’s First Woman Chief Secretary

Vini Mahajan- Chief Secretary, Punjab

The story of Punjab Chief Secretary Ms Vini Mahajan, a 1987-batch IAS officer, is no less impressive. Graduating from Delhi University’s Lady Sri Ram College, she did her MBA from Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kolkata.

Under Ms Mahajan’s leadership in 2019, Punjab participated in the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, for the first time.

Ms Mahajan replaces Mr Karan Avtar Singh. The latter has been posted as Special Chief Secretary, Governance Reforms and Public Grievances.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IAS Ashwani Kumar
Assam’s Bold Bet on Local Talent: IAS Ashwani Kumar’s Vision for a Digital Assam
Haryana Jungle Safari
Haryana’s Mega Jungle Safari Project Moves Closer to Reality; Phase-I Design Finalised
SBK Singh IPS CP
Delhi Police Commissioner S B K Singh Bans Aerial Platforms from August 2 to 16 for Security Reasons
IPS-logo-resized_new
10 Senior Cops Get New Roles In Bihar Police; DG Jitendra Kumar Gets Additional Charge of B-SAP
Indian Forest Services IFS officer
Jharkhand IFS Rajneesh Kumar Transferred Amid Ongoing Legal Proceedings - Details Inside
Uttar Pradesh UP Government
17 Review Officers Transferred in Uttar Pradesh Secretariat Administration Reshuffle - Details Inside
IFS-forest-resized
6 IFS Officers Transferred in Odisha to Strengthen Environmental Administration, Jagayandatt Pati Made RCCF, Koraput Circle
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services IAS logo
4 Young IAS Officers Reshuffled in Uttarakhand, Rahul Anand Made Joint Magistrate, Dehradun
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
How IAS Karn Satyarthi Transformed Gumla Through Empathy and Innovation
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s Take on Corruption, Reform, and Duty
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
What Most Indians Don't Know About Jim Corbett
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
BPSC Bihar police
From Lantern Light to Police Uniform: How Praveen Kumar from a Small Bihar Village Cracked BPSC to Become SDPO
From a lantern-lit village in Bihar to becoming an SDPO, Praveen Kumar's journey is a testament to resilience,...
IAS Priyansha Garg
Why Mindset Matters: IAS Priyansha Garg’s Mental Health Mantra for UPSC
After two failed prelims, Priyansha Garg cracked UPSC with AIR 31 in her fourth attempt, proving how...
Ashish Akshat
From Setback to State Topper: How Ashish Akshat Topped JPSC While Working Full-Time
Ashish Akshat from Dhanbad topped JPSC 2023, proving that resilience, discipline, and family support...
Social Media
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: From India’s First Sanctuary to a Tiger Conservation Success Story | International Tiger Day Special
IAS Supriya Sahu Hails Mudumalai's Role in Tiger Conservation on Tiger Day. Declared in 1940, Now Among...
Mangroves
Mangroves: Nature’s Shield Against Disasters, Says Officer Parveen Kaswan on Mangroves Day - Watch His Post Here
Mangroves, with their dense, interlaced root systems, form a mesh-like structure that serves as a buffer...
Retired IPS Inderjit Singh Sidhu
Purpose Doesn’t Retire: How 88-Year-Old Retired DIG Becomes Chandigarh’s ‘Quiet Warrior’ of Cleanliness
Inderjit Singh Sidhu’s Dawn Patrol Earns Applause, Mahindra’s Praise for a Man Who Chose Action Over...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
IAS Ashwani Kumar
Assam’s Bold Bet on Local Talent: IAS Ashwani Kumar’s Vision for a Digital Assam
Haryana Jungle Safari
Haryana’s Mega Jungle Safari Project Moves Closer to Reality; Phase-I Design Finalised
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT