Service: Indian Administrative Service (IAS), 1989 batch, Uttar Pradesh cadre
Current Position: Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (since 2024)
Additional Charge: Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) (since March 2025)
🎓 Education
Dr. Chaturvedi holds a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. He pursued his M.Tech in Industrial Engineering and later earned a Ph.D. in Performance Management in Government from IIT Delhi. He also completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy and Management from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore.
🏛️ Career Overview
Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi has held various administrative positions at the district, state, and central government levels. His early postings included roles as Sub-Divisional Magistrate and Chief Development Officer in districts such as Ranikhet and Nainital. He also served in tourism administration and was Divisional Commissioner in key regions of Uttar Pradesh.
At the state level, he served as Secretary for Higher Education, Principal Secretary for Health and Family Welfare, and Additional Chief Secretary in departments such as Agriculture, Minorities Welfare, and Personnel.
At the central level, he worked in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions before taking up responsibilities in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. He was appointed Secretary of the Ministry in 2024 and was later given additional charge of DARE in 2025.
📌 Major Contributions
- Traditional Crops & Climate Resilience: Advocated for the revival of indigenous crop varieties in rainfed and dryland areas to strengthen climate-resilient farming practices.
- Medicinal Plant Promotion: Initiated efforts to scale up cultivation and value chain development for medicinal and aromatic plants through inter-ministerial collaboration.
- Agricultural Statistics Reform: Promoted the modernization of agricultural data systems through digital crop surveys, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and geotagging to improve accuracy and policymaking.
- International Collaboration: Facilitated strategic partnerships with international bodies and delegations to advance sustainable agriculture, precision farming, and cold-chain infrastructure.
📝 Summary
Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi is a highly accomplished civil servant and technocrat, known for combining academic excellence with administrative acumen. As Secretary of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Secretary of DARE, he is spearheading a range of policy initiatives focused on sustainable farming, rural livelihoods, and agri-tech transformation in India.