New Delhi: A look at the Government of India’s top administrative positions reveals a growing presence of women across a wide range of Central departments, from Economic Affairs and Health to Personnel, Higher Education, Textiles and Water Resources.

The latest name to join the list is Archana Varma, whose appointment as Water Resources Secretary adds another key portfolio to the departments headed by women officers.

The Centre on Monday appointed Varma, a 1995-batch IAS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, as Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti. She moves to the post from her position as Mission Director, National Water Mission.

With her appointment, 18 distinct women officers figure among the 91 Secretary-level positions, taking their representation to 19.8%, or nearly one in five.

Varma brings nearly three decades of administrative experience to the post. At the Centre, she served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions from 2013 to 2017 and Director in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare from 2005 to 2010. In Assam, her assignments have included Commissioner and Secretary, Rural Development, Commissioner of Guwahati Municipal Corporation and District Magistrate of Goalpara.

The list of women Secretaries spans several key portfolios. Anuradha Thakur heads the Department of Economic Affairs, Punya Salila Srivastava Health and Family Welfare and Rachna Shah Personnel and Training. Nidhi Khare is Secretary, Consumer Affairs, while Neelam Shami Rao and Ranjana Chopra head Textiles and Tribal Affairs, respectively.

Women officers also head the departments of Scientific and Industrial Research, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Ex-Servicemen Welfare. They include N. Kalaiselvi, Debashree Mukherjee, V. Vidyavati and Sukriti Likhi, respectively. Sripriya Ranganathan serves as Secretary (CPV & OIA), while Deepti Umashankar is Secretary to the President.

Nivedita Shukla Verma holds charge of both the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare. Ansuli Arya is Secretary, Department of Official Language.

The latest reshuffle has also brought changes to two other women-led departments. Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, a 1993-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, has moved from Corporate Affairs to become Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. Pallavi Jain Govil, a 1994-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, has moved from Youth Affairs to become Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Among the other changes, V. L. Kantha Rao, currently Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, has been appointed Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs. He will take over as Secretary after Ansuli Arya’s superannuation on September 30, 2026.

Sushil Kumar Lohani, currently Officer on Special Duty in the Cabinet Secretariat, has been appointed Chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India, with the post upgraded to Secretary level. Sunil Paliwal, currently Chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India, will become Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs.