Ehsan Fazili/Srinagar

At the age of 39, Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar, is recipient of the highest civil and official awards for her excellent work as a public administrator. This J&K born IAS 2013 Punjab cadre office, is an epitome of excellence and has become a role model for aspiring civil servants, particularly young women across the country.

Having an MBBS degree from Batra Medical College, Jammu, she was motivated to serve society by her father, Sayed Asghar, a senior KAS officer in the Jammu and Kashmir Government.

In her first attempt to join the civil services, Dr Sehrish qualified the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS) 2010, topping the list and enjoying the distinction of becoming the first woman to hold the position.

However, the earnest desire to achieve greater heights led her to continue efforts for qualifying the coveted UPSC, which she qualified at 118 AIR in her second attempt and joined the Civil Services in 2013. A year earlier, in the first attempt she qualified the IPS, and had joined as ASP, Budgam in Kashmir.

Dr Sehrish Asghar receiving the award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi

She took over as Administrative Secretary and Head of Department, Water Supply and Sanitation, Punjab in January this year, after serving at various important positions in the J&K Government.

Among other postings in J&K she served as the Deputy Commissioner of Baramulla and Budgam districts, with the distinction of being the first woman Deputy Commissioner of Budgam, since its creation as a district in 1979. She joined as Deputy Commissioner, Budgam in June 2018, and later held the position as Mission Director, J&K Rural Livelihood Mission (JKRLM), where she launched the SAATH (Together for Better Tomorrow) programme empowering rural women through Self Help Groups (SHGs).

Under this programme, over five lakh women were linked to 60,000 SHGs while Rs 1161 Cr were mobilised for rural women entrepreneurs.

She served as Deputy Commissioner Baramulla from 2022 to January 2024. She joined as Administrative Secretary, Public Grievances and also in charge of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA), in January, 2024 holding the position upto January 2026.

She has also functioned as Director of Information, J&K Government during her services.

Congratulations Team J&K for this remarkable feat. Best wishes to @listenshahid, @DrSyedSehrish. Grateful to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji for taking UT to new heights of glory & prosperity. pic.twitter.com/k6dWvQk5Ht

— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) April 21, 2023

Earlier Dr Sehrish Asgar held several important positions in Punjab, which included SDM Gurdaspur and ADC Punjab, while in her Central deputation she held postings in the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change.

 She attended the Presentation Convent school, Jammu. During her school, she remained a topped always.

She also topped the final examination in the Medical College and the J&K Civil Services KAS 2010.

Dr Sehrish Asgar is the recipient of Prime Minister’s award for excellence in civil services, 2023, in recognition for her remarkable role in Aspirational District Programme in Baramulla.          

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Dr Sehrish is married to fellow IAS officer, (AGMUT-2010) Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah from Kashmir, who has also held various important positions including Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar and Anantnag districts and Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department.

He was recently transferred to Chandigarh in February this year. Currently, she serves as Special Secretary in the Water Supply and Sanitation department of Punjab