IAS officer Divya Mittal resigns: 'I won't lose the dream this land gave me'

Mittal was serving as special secretary in the Uttar Pradesh government’s revenue department.

Divya Mittal, a 2013-batch officer, announced her resignation from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) on Sunday morning on social media, saying she may have given up her position but would not give up the dream that brought her back to India.

IAS officer Divya Mittal resigned on Sunday.

Mittal, who was serving as special secretary in the Uttar Pradesh government’s revenue department, shared a signed resignation note in Hindi on her X handle at around 8am. “Today, I have voluntarily resigned from the IAS, ending an unforgettable 13-year journey,” she wrote. The note was as much a farewell to the service as it was a deeply personal account of why she chose to return to India and join the civil services after working in London.

She concluded by writing, “I may have lost my position today, but that touch will remain with me for the rest of my life. And I won’t lose the dream this land of our country has given me either.”

In what is being seen as her personal resignation note, she wrote, “Growing up in humble surroundings, I dreamed of a good, successful life. After working day and night at IIT Delhi and IIM Bangalore, I landed a job in London. But even after having everything, something felt incomplete. I felt unfulfilled. I didn’t belong in my own country. My education, self-confidence, and the strength to walk with my head held high anywhere in the world—all owed me a debt to this land. I had to repay that debt. I wanted my handprints on the bricks that built the India I dreamed of. So I returned, and was fortunate to become an IAS officer.”

“I had the opportunity to do a lot and learned a lot. Deoria taught me that standing up for what’s right is not an option, but a duty. Mirzapur taught me that “impossible” is not a fact, but simply an opinion. And sitting at the feet of Mother Vindhyavasini, I learned that power comes not from a position, but from her grace and the trust of the people. The biggest lesson was that my dreams for myself had been fulfilled, now I had to live the dreams I had for my people,” she wrote.

“The true peace of this life was visible in the eyes of the family who got the right to own land for the first time, the disabled person who got the opportunity to live with dignity, and the farmer whose fields got water. Walking alongside them in their struggles, I learned that behind every government file is a person, and maintaining their dignity is justice,” she wrote while sharing anecdotes from her posting in different districts.

“I was foolish to think I had come to give something. The truth is, I received the most, and that debt only grew. People rejoiced in my happiness more than I did. They looked at me with the same confidence even when I was tired or broken. And this gave me the courage to keep moving forward. I received so much love, so much respect, so much belonging that my bag was filled to the brim. And in this, the colleagues, officers, and employees who worked shoulder to shoulder with me and stood by me firmly deserve a lot of credit,” she wrote.

“Today, my eyes are moist with gratitude. Just one scene remains etched in them. That elderly mother from the hills of Lahuriya Dah, who didn’t say anything when she saw water reaching her village for the first time, simply touched my head with trembling hands and blessed me,” Mittal wrote.

She was posted in various districts, including Gonda, Sant Kabir Nagar, Meerut Bareilly, Mirzapur, Deoria and Lucknow. As DM, she served in Sant Kabir Nagar, Deoria, and Mirzapur. She was special secretary, revenue department, since May 2026, after serving as Deoria DM between July 2024 and May 2026. She holds B.Tech.(IIT) and PGDM(IIM) degrees.

Talking to media persons, Divya Mittal clarified that she did not resign under any pressure or in a haste, but it was a well thought-out decision.

“The IAS job is only one chapter in my life, not my entire life,” she said, adding that she chose this path keeping in mind her priorities, interests, and family. Regarding future plans, she hinted that she may pursue writing, teaching and social service.