Meet IAS Ruchika Chauhan, first woman DC of this district, led key initiatives, her UPSC AIR was...; she is from...

Some people don't need examples to follow. Because they are themselves busy setting an example for others. One such inspiring story is that of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Ruchika Chauhan. More than a decade ago, Ruchika scripted history by becoming the first-ever woman District Collector (DC) of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, which is also her home state. Read on to know more about her incredible journey.

Exceptional UPSC rank
Ruchika, 40, born in 1984 in Indore, completed her school education from there before going on to earn a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) degree in Electronics and Communication. After that, she began preparing for the coveted Civil Services Exam (CSE), annually conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). In 2010, she cracked the UPSC CSE, securing an exceptional all-India rank (AIR) of 50 among a sea of candidates from all across India. That year, she was the only applicant from Madhya Pradesh to be allotted the prestigious IAS branch. She then kicked off her administrative journey as an Assistant Collector in the state's Sehore district.

Known for key initiatives
IAS Ruchika is known for spearheading a range of impactful initiatives across key sectors in Gwalior, where she is currently posted. Her popular 'Shakti Didi' scheme has empowered local women by employing them at petrol pumps -- a job historically dominated by men. Besides, under her leadership, Gwalior secured investments worth Rs 25,000 crore at the Madhya Pradesh Global Investor Summit, providing a massive economic boost to the district. She has also taken up several environmental sustainability projects, including a city forest programme.
More recently, she was in the news as she arrived her office in an E-rickshaw on the occasion of the World Environment Day on June 5.