Bhubaneswar, May 31: Ananya Awasthi, a 2022-batch IPS officer, has been appointed as the Aide-De-Camp (ADC) to the Governor, making her the first woman to serve in the prestigious position in Odisha.
Governor Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati appointed her as his ADC on Sunday at the Lok Bhavan.
A formal induction ceremony was held at Lok Bhavan on Sunday, where the Governor welcomed Awasthi to her new assignment as the Police ADC. Senior officials of the Governor’s Secretariat were present on the occasion.
Prior to her appointment, the 2022-batch IPS, Awasthi was serving as Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), UPD, Cuttack.
As the first woman to serve as ADC to the Governor of Odisha, her appointment marks a significant milestone for women in public service.
She succeeds IPS officer Kuldeep Meena, who has been transferred as the Superintendent of Police, Boudh.
The Governor of Odisha is assisted by two Aides-de-Camp – one from the Indian Navy and the other from the Odisha Police. While Ananya Awasthi will serve as the Police ADC, Lieutenant Harshit Deo of the Indian Navy will continue as the Naval ADC to the Governor.
The ADC plays an important role in assisting the Governor during official engagements, ceremonial functions, and other protocol-related duties.
Notably, Governor Kambhampati, during his tenure as Mizoram Governor in December 2023, appointed Odisha’s Manisha Padhi, a 2015 batch IAF Squadron Leader, as India’s first woman Aide-De-Camp (ADC). Daughter of Bhubaneswar-based Meneka Padhi and Manoranjan Padhi who retired as an IAF officer, Manisha hails from Berhampur.
