Divya Mittal had worked for months to get piped water delivered to Lahuria Dah village in Mirzapur. (Image source: @divyamittal_IAS)Nearly a month after she took voluntary retirement, former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Divya Mittal on Monday announced that she had decided to enter politics, saying she wanted to become the “voice” of people whose concerns often fail to reach the government.The Uttar Pradesh-cadre officer said she would not stand “under any flag” and sought public support.In a social media post, the 2013-batch IAS officer said she took time to decide on her next step after resigning from the civil services. “I resigned from IAS last month and left many questions behind. This is a big task, and I was gathering courage. Today I have come to answer. What next? The answer is politics,” she said.Mittal said her decision was driven by a desire to represent people whose voices do not reach government offices. She raised questions about schools sanctioned but never constructed, land allotted on lease but never handed over, poor roads and the deaths they cause, and the future of students amid examination paper leaks.Recalling an inspection in Lahuria Dah area of Mirzapur, where she served as district magistrate, Mittal said she had expected a woman there to ask for a pension or a house. Instead, the woman, who did not even have a drinking water connection at home, asked for a school in her village. The former IAS officer said she sanctioned the school, but construction had not begun even three years later. “Tell me, what wasn’t available? Funds, rules, or approvals? Everything was available, but there was no intent,” she said, adding that she wanted answers on such “invisible schools”.On education and paper leaks, she asked if parents can now be certain that their children’s future was secure. “I was an ordinary girl who got an opportunity, but what about today’s children?” she asked. The objective, she said, is not to change a leader, but the nature of politics. Indicating that she does not intend to join a political party, Mittal said: “Politics not with any party, but with the people.” She said the people who had supported her earlier would be part of her political journey. Her remarks indicated that she intends to enter electoral politics without a party banner.She also ruled out using caste as a card as she begins her political journey. Uttar Pradesh, she said, has been her “karmabhoomi” and would be the starting point. “I have been told nothing changes in this country, especially in Uttar Pradesh. But Uttar Pradesh has always shown the way.”Mittal appealed to people to support her political initiative and shared a WhatsApp number for those wishing to connect. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Divya Mittal (@divyamittal_official)The 2013-batch IAS officer is an alumnus of IIT Delhi and also holds an MBA from IIM Bangalore. Before joining the civil services, she worked as an exotic derivatives trader in London. During her career in bureaucracy, she served as District Magistrate of Sant Kabir Nagar and Mirzapur, besides holding posts such as Chief Development Officer, Gonda; Joint Managing Director, UP State Industrial Development Authority and Vice-Chairperson of Bareilly Development Authority. Her Mirzapur posting brought her public recognition, particularly for her work on drinking-water access in the hilltop village of Lahuria Dah.She was transferred from Mirzapur in September 2023 and spent some time on the waiting list before being posted as CEO of the Uttar Pradesh Rural Road Development Agency in February 2024. The 42-year-old announced her resignation on August 31.Maulshree Seth is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, based in Lucknow. With over 15 years of experience in mainstream journalism, she has built a formidable reputation for her on-ground reporting across Uttar Pradesh. Her expertise spans a wide array of critical beats, including state politics, governance, the judiciary, and rural development. Authoritativeness Maulshree’s work is characterized by depth and historical context. Her coverage of high-stakes state elections and landmark judicial rulings has established her as an authoritative voice on the intersection of law and politics in Northern India. She is frequently recognized for her ability to gain access to primary sources and for her nuanced understanding of the socio-economic factors that drive the world's most populous sub-national entity. Trustworthiness & Ethical Journalism Her reporting is rooted in rigorous fact-checking and a steadfast dedication to neutral, unbiased storytelling. By prioritizing field-based verification—often traveling to the most remote corners of the state—she ensures that her readers receive a truthful and comprehensive view of events. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram