RIVANSHI RAKHRAI
Anna Rajam Mehrotra was the first female IAS officer in India, belonging to the 1951 batch.
–
Born in Ernakulam district, Kerala, she completed her schooling in Kozhikode.
She pursued higher education at Madras University after moving to Chennai.
Anna Rajam Mehrotra became the first woman secretary of India and was the second Indian woman to pass the civil services exam.
Serving in the Madras cadre, she held various positions under several Chief Ministers and served at the Centre from 1951 to 1989.
Initially facing a rule that required her to resign upon marriage, this stipulation was later revised. She married her batchmate RN Malhotra, who later became the 17th Governor of RBI
Awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1989, Anna Rajam Mehrotra passed away in 2019 in Mumbai, leaving behind a legacy as an inspiration to countless youth across India.