Current Position: Secretary to the President of India
🏛️ Career Overview
Deepti Umashankar is a seasoned Indian Administrative Service officer from the 1993 batch of the Haryana cadre. Over the span of her career, she has held a wide range of senior positions in both the state and central governments, known for her administrative efficiency and policy acumen.
🌐 Major Roles and Achievements
- Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT):
Before her current role, she served as the Establishment Officer and Additional Secretary in the DoPT, where she was responsible for managing appointments and career progressions of top civil servants across India. - Empanelment as Secretary:
In recognition of her exemplary service, she was empanelled for Secretary-level positions in the Government of India, a distinction that qualifies her to hold the highest bureaucratic roles within the Union government. - Secretary to the President of India:
Deepti Umashankar was appointed as the Secretary to the President of India, heading the President’s Secretariat at Rashtrapati Bhavan. In this capacity, she oversees all administrative, ceremonial, and official functions of the President’s office. Her role includes coordinating high-level interactions, managing official communications, and ensuring the smooth execution of constitutional duties by the President.
🏠 Responsibilities at Rashtrapati Bhavan
As the Secretary to the President, she leads a team of senior officials in managing the internal and external affairs of the President’s Secretariat. This includes:
- Coordinating official ceremonies and state functions
- Managing day-to-day administration of Rashtrapati Bhavan
- Acting as a key liaison between the President and various branches of government and civil society
- Supervising protocol and hospitality arrangements for visiting dignitaries and heads of state
👥 Personal Notes
Deepti Umashankar is part of a distinguished bureaucratic family. Her spouse is also an IAS officer from the 1993 Haryana cadre, currently serving as Secretary in the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. Together, they are one of the rare IAS couples simultaneously holding Secretary-level posts in the Union government.
🏅 Significance
Her appointment as Secretary to the President marks a significant milestone, not only in her career but also in the representation of women at the highest levels of India’s civil service. She is among the few women to have held this prestigious post, setting a strong example for aspiring women bureaucrats.