IAS Sanyukta Samaddar, an officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), has over 25 years of distinguished service in various domains of development administration, policy-making, planning, and financial management. Her career has been marked by a series of impactful roles both at the national and state levels, with significant contributions to integrating the globally recognised Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the national and state-level policy planning frameworks in all 36 States & Union Territories, while also curating the famously known, Indian Model of SDG Localisation, with a focus on reducing multidimensional poverty and ‘leaving no one behind’.
IAS Sanyukta Samaddar’s academic background includes an M.A. in Public Administration from Syracuse University, New York, and an M.A. in Political Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She also holds a B.A. in Political Science from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata. Her professional training spans various prestigious institutions, including the Harvard Kennedy School (US), Sciences Po (France), Cambridge University (UK) and Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, where she received advanced training in public policy, governance, and project evaluation.
IAS Sanyukta Samaddar’s career began in 1999 with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, where she held numerous pivotal positions across a broad spectrum of sectors. Her early work focused on health, education, agriculture, social welfare, infrastructure, revenue administration, and industrial policy while serving as District Magistrate and Collector in 10 districts including Mirzapur, Firozabad, Rampur, Lalitpur, Badaun, etc, where she was responsible for overseeing the development sector, disaster management, public order, and the implementation of all government welfare schemes.. Her leadership in these districts was instrumental in driving reforms in land records, particularly through computerization and digitization, and widening the ambit and scope of community participation, which significantly improved citizen access to government services.
Her focus on engaging with the vulnerable sections of community, especially women, migrant workers, persons with disabilities, at the grass-roots level in development programs was another hallmark of her work, with notable projects involving women’s self-help groups (SHGs) in rural areas, especially in the Bundelkhand region. These initiatives were designed to empower women through capacity-building programs, training, and linking SHGs with financial institutions.
In 2013, IAS Sanyukta Samaddar transitioned to a policy formulation role at the Government of India where she worked till 2021-22.
As Director in the Department of Industries, Government of India, IAS Sanyukta Samaddar further gained expertise in the thermal power sector, heavy engineering, and electrical equipment sector, as she played significant role as Government Nominee Director in the Boards of over 8 Central Public Sector Enterprises, and directly oversaw the operations of Maharatna PSUs like BHEL, handling policy-making, budgeting, project formulation, and performance evaluation of these CPSEs.
Some of her key contributions during this phase included the rationalization of 32 CPSEs, a process involving closures, mergers, and disinvestments, aimed at improving efficiency and financial health of the sector.
In 2017, IAS Sanyukta Samaddar joined NITI Aayog, the premier think tank of the Government of India, as Officer on Special Duty and later as Adviser (SDGs). In this capacity, she became the driving force behind India’s SDG initiatives, and functioned as Government of India’s Focal Point for SDGs at the United Nations and G20. Here she led the development of the SDG India Index, a tool that assesses the country’s progress on the SDGs at both national and state levels.
The index, first published in 2018, provided a comprehensive ranking of states and Union Territories, offering insights into their performance across various SDGs. IAS Sanyukta Samaddar also spearheaded the creation of the SDG India Index Dashboard, a dynamic platform for monitoring and evaluating SDG progress. This was followed by her developing a similar tool to measure the progress of the 8 North Eastern States and their 120+ districts on SDGs, and the Urban SDG Index to rank our Indian cities.
IAS Sanyukta Samaddar led India’s first National Multidimensional Poverty Index (nMPI) project, which aimed to measure poverty across various dimensions, such as education, health, and living standards. This project, developed in collaboration with UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), provided a more nuanced understanding of poverty in India and its states. This was India’s first attempt at estimating the incidence and intensity of multidimensional poverty at the national, state-UT level and also in the 700+ district of India, and was first released in 2021.
One of her most significant achievements was leading India’s Voluntary National Review (VNR) in 2020, a comprehensive report presented at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum. This VNR, developed in collaboration with civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, and UN agencies, highlighted India’s progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was presented by her in the United Nations Headquarters in July, 2020.
Her leadership and achievements in this area showcased her ability to coordinate across diverse stakeholders and present India’s efforts on the global stage.
IAS Sanyukta Samaddar also led the SDG localisation efforts, supporting all the 36 States and Union Territories in designing and implementing monitoring systems for SDG performance. Her strategy of extensive outreach and in conducting intensive capacity building sessions in all State capitals was instrumental in ensuring that SDG implementation was not just a top-down process but also deeply integrated into state and district governance structures.
Throughout her tenure at NITI Aayog, IAS Sanyukta Samaddar represented India in various multilateral and bilateral forums, most notably at the G20 Development Working Groups in Argentina, Japan, Indonesia between 2018-2022. She was actively involved in global negotiations on financing for sustainable development, disaster-resilient infrastructure, and human capital development. She has represented India at UNESCAP, where she engaged in regional and bilateral negotiations on SDG financing, climate action, and energy infrastructure.
In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, IAS Sanyukta Samaddar played a crucial role in India’s response efforts. As the nodal person for NITI Aayog’s COVID-19 initiatives, she coordinated with civil society, industry, and international development organizations to ensure a comprehensive and effective response. Her leadership in this area underscored her ability to manage complex, high-stakes situations at the national level.
IAS Sanyukta Samaddar has several publications on SDGs and National MPI to her credit, including India’s VNR 2020, India’s National MPI, The Cost of Selected Sustainable Development Goals (in collaboration with IMF), and the SDG India Index reports, the NER District SDG Index, the Indian Model of SDG Localisation, etc . Her publications reflect her expertise of sustainable development and her ability to translate complex policy concepts into actionable frameworks.
Currently, IAS Sanyukta Samaddar serves as the Commissioner of the National Capital Region of Uttar Pradesh, overseeing urban management in one of India’s most dynamic and rapidly growing regions. She also frequently teaches courses on SDGs, Private Sector’s roles and responsibilities towards SDGs, measuring and using Multidimensional Poverty estimates, in various institutions such as Oxford University,UK, management colleges, IITs, National and State Administrative Training Institutes, National Centre for Good Governance etc.
As anyone would notice, IAS Sanyukta Samaddar’s career trajectory reflects a passionate commitment to public service, with a particular focus on sustainable development and inclusive growth. Her work across various sectors and her leadership in SDG efforts have made her a key player in shaping India’s development agenda both at the national and global levels.
Needless to say, IAS Sanyukta Samaddar is the kind of officer who is a role model for the young IAS officers. Her stellar work and achievements will inspire young officers to become the best version of themselves and deliver their best for the benefit of the people, their state and their country for years to come!
