IAS Officer Divya Mittal Resigns, Says ‘True Power Comes Not From Any Position, But From People’

August 30, 2026

Lucknow: IAS officer Divya Mittal, a 2013-batch officer, announced her resignation from the service on Sunday, bringing an end to what she described as an “unforgettable” 13-year journey in public service.

Currently serving as Special Secretary in the Revenue Department, Mittal shared an emotional message on social media, saying that although she had left her post, she would not give up on the dream that her country had given her.

Divya Mittal Reflects on 13-Year Public Service Journey

Reflecting on her years in administration and the love, respect and trust she received from people, Mittal said she had grown up in humble surroundings and once dreamed of a good and successful life.

After studying at IIT Delhi and IIM Bangalore, she took up a job in London. However, despite achieving what she described as “everything”, she felt something was incomplete and eventually returned to India.

“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 said.

Recalling her various postings, Mittal said she had the opportunity to contribute in many ways while learning valuable lessons from the people and places she served.

She said Deoria taught her that standing up for what is right was not a choice but a responsibility, while her experience in Mirzapur taught her that “impossible” was not a fact but simply an opinion.

“I learned that true power comes not from any position, but from her grace and the trust of the people. The greatest lesson of all was that the dreams I had once seen for myself had already come true; now it was time to live the dreams I saw for my people,” she said.

‘Behind Every Government File Is a Person’

Mittal said the “true solace” of her life in public service could be found in the eyes of families who received land rights for the first time, persons with disabilities who were given an opportunity to live with dignity, and farmers whose fields finally received water.

“Walking alongside their struggles, I learned that behind every government file is a person, and upholding their dignity is what justice truly means,” she said.

She added that she had initially believed she had entered public service to give something to others, but later realised that she had received far more than she could have imagined.

“I was foolish to think I had come to give something. The truth is, I received the most, and that debt only grew,” Mittal wrote.

She also credited her colleagues, officers and staff for standing by her throughout her journey.

“I received so much love, so much respect, so much belonging, that my lap overflowed. And a huge share of credit for this goes to those colleagues, officers, and staff who worked shoulder to shoulder with me and stood firm by my side,” she added.

Divya Mittal Recalls Elderly Woman’s Blessing

Recalling a moment that stayed with her, Mittal spoke about an elderly woman from the Lahuriya Dah hills who blessed her after seeing water reach her village for the first time.

“I may have left my post today, but that touch will remain with me for life,” she said.

“And neither will the dream that this land of our country has given me. It will remain the same. Not a single detail will change,” she added.

Divya Mittal is a 2013-batch IAS officer and is currently posted as Special Secretary in the Revenue Department. She had resigned as Deoria District Magistrate on May 6.