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Anna Rajam Malhotra became 1st female district sub-collector of Hosur
UPSC interview panel asked Anna to choose the foreign or central services because they were “more appropriate” for women.
Every year, lakhs of students take the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination, one of the toughest exams in India. Satyendra Nath Tagore was the first Indian male to clear the examination. But are you aware that who was the first Indian woman to pass the UPSC exam?
Anna Rajam Malhotra was the first Indian woman IAS officer post-independence. From 1951 to 2018, Anna Malhotra served in the state of Madras under chief minister C Rajagopalachari. She worked on numerous initiatives throughout her lengthy and fruitful career, eventually joining Rajiv Gandhi’s team for the 1982 Asian Games.
In 1951, after passing her civil service written examinations, she received a call for an interview. The discussion turned out to be just the beginning of the many issues she would later face as a woman in a male-dominated field. The interview panel had asked Anna to choose the foreign or central services because they were “more appropriate” for women. But she persisted and joined the Madras cadre of the civil service.
It’s interesting to note that her appointment letter stated that her service would be discontinued in the event of her marriage. Later, however, this regulation was changed. At first, Anna’s head, chief minister C Rajagopalachari, was “hesitant to designate” her as a district sub-collector because he believed that “women should not serve in the civil forces”. She was able to compete with her male counterparts because of her skillsets and knowledge.
She ultimately became the first female district sub-collector of the Hosur district. Anna Rajam also discovered, after some time in the service, that former chief minister Rajaji had cited her as an example of a progressive woman at a gathering held in Tiruchirappalli. While she was serving, her male coworkers doubted the way she handled administration. She also later served as India’s Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund in Washington.
Anna Rajam Malhotra passed away at the age of 91 in Mumbai in September 2019. Even after her demise, female officers honour her life. Anna Rajam Malhotra, a steadfast officer, a committed public servant and a modest woman challenged patriarchy in her unique manner.
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