IAS couple Artika Shukla, Jasmeet Singh Sandhu: Know where they met, their love story

IAS Artika Shukla, Jasmeet Singh Sandhu's love story: India is famous for its extravagant weddings, characterised by designer outfits and lavish feasts. These grand celebrations have even been featured in international TV shows and films. However, amid this culture of opulence, several IAS and IPS officers have made headlines for choosing simple and modest weddings, proving that love doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, is the birthplace of IAS Artika Shukla. She was born on September 5, 1990, to Dr. Brijesh and Leena Shukla. She attended St. John's School for her early schooling. After graduating from Maulana Azad Medical College with an MBBS, Artika went on to PGIMER to obtain her MD. In the 2015 UPSC, she secured an outstanding fourth.

Whereas, IAS Jasmeet Singh Sandhu hails from Delhi. He was born on September 23, 1987, to Surinder Kaur and Dr. JS Sandhu, who is the DDG (Crop Science) at ICAR, he completed his education at Sacred Heart Convent School in Ludhiana. Jasmeet graduated from IIT Roorkee and became an IAS officer in 2015 on his fourth attempt at the UPSC exam, securing an impressive third rank.

Artika and Jasmeet first met during their training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie. After completing their IAS training, Artika was posted to the Indian Administrative Service Union Territory cadre, and Jasmeet was allocated to the Rajasthan cadre. Citing her marriage to Jasmeet Singh Sandhu, Artika eventually switched to the Rajasthan cadre as well.

In 2017, Jasmeet Singh Sandhu and IAS Artika Shukla were married. Artika has since worked in Rajasthan in a variety of capacities. She started at Rishabhdev, Udaipur district, as a Sub-Divisional Officer. She was Ajmer's Sub-Divisional Magistrate from 2019 to 2020. She also assumed positions as Secretary of the Alwar UIT and Additional Commissioner in the Tax Department.