Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh presents a distinctive administrative picture in its health sector, with eight women IAS officers currently holding key positions across Medical, Health & Family Welfare and Medical Education.
The latest change came on September 21, 2026, when V. Hekali Zhimomi (IAS:1996:UP) took charge as Principal Secretary, Medical, Health & Family Welfare and Principal Secretary, Medical Education.
Ritu Maheshwari (IAS:2003) has been serving as Secretary, Medical, Health & Family Welfare since January 16, 2025, while Dr. Pinky Jowel (IAS:2003:UP) has been serving as Mission Director, National Health Mission and Secretary, Medical Health & Family Welfare since June 17, 2023.
On the medical education side, Neha Sharma (IAS:2010) has been serving as Director General, Medical Education since July 17, 2026.
Archana Verma (IAS:2014) has been serving as CEO, National Health Insurance Scheme since January 20, 2025, while Kritika Sharma (IAS:2014) has been serving as Special Secretary, Medical Education Department and Additional Director (Administration), SGPGI since June 25, 2026.
At the directorate level, Nidhi Bansal (IAS:2020) has been serving as Director (Administration), Medical & Health Services since May 4, 2026, while Neelam (IAS:2021) has been serving as Additional Director, Directorate of Medical Education since February 12, 2025.
Thus, from senior policy leadership and departmental administration to NHM, medical education, health insurance and healthcare administration, women IAS officers are currently handling several important components of Uttar Pradesh’s health machinery.
The present arrangement creates a distinctive picture in Uttar Pradesh, where eight women IAS officers from different batches are occupying key positions across the state’s health and medical education administration.
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