Shri Divyanshu Choudhary is a 2021-batch Madhya Pradesh cadre Indian Administrative Service officer whose career combines strong academic credentials, private-sector exposure and grassroots administrative experience. Born on February 14, 1994, and hailing from Rajasthan, he joined the IAS on December 5, 2021. He is presently serving as Chief Executive Officer, Zila Panchayat and Additional Collector, Dindori, where tribal livelihoods, rural development and accountable implementation form important areas of his responsibility.
Early Life and Academic Pursuits
Shri Choudhary pursued Electrical and Electronics Engineering at BITS Pilani and later completed management education at IIM Calcutta. Before entering public service, he also gained professional experience with HSBC, giving him exposure to corporate systems and organisational decision-making. His academic and professional journey brought together engineering, management and institutional experience before his transition to the civil services.
Professional Genesis and Ascendancy
After joining the Madhya Pradesh cadre, Shri Choudhary began his field career as Assistant Collector, Betul, before taking charge as SDO (Revenue), Dabra in Gwalior district. In 2025, he was appointed CEO, Zila Panchayat and Additional Collector, Dindori, marking his transition from sub-divisional revenue administration to district-level responsibility for Panchayat and rural-development programmes.
Administrative Tenure: Linking Tribal Heritage with Sustainable Livelihoods
Shri Choudhary’s tenure in Dindori has brought a particular focus to the challenge of converting local skills and cultural heritage into sustainable livelihood opportunities. In a predominantly tribal district, his administrative approach has included efforts to improve market access, strengthen Panchayat accountability and connect grassroots communities more effectively with public programmes.
Taking Patangarh’s Gond Art to Digital Markets
During a visit to Patangarh, renowned for its Gond painting tradition, Shri Choudhary identified limited market access as a major constraint for local artists. The district subsequently supported a partnership involving Dots and Dashes and Amazon Karigar, enabling Gond artists to market hand-painted products directly through digital platforms while reducing dependence on intermediaries.
Strengthening Tribal Artists and Women’s Livelihoods
The initiative has brought more than 150 artists, including over 85 women associated with Self-Help Groups, into a wider market network. Support includes digital cataloguing, product development, quality assurance and online visibility, while the revenue-sharing structure is designed to retain a larger share of economic benefits within artist groups and local communities.
Accountability in Panchayat Development
Alongside livelihood promotion, Shri Choudhary has emphasised accountability in rural-development execution. In September 2026, action was taken against a Panchayat secretary after irregularities were found in the quality and payment process of a culvert project in Karangia Janpad Panchayat, reflecting attention to both construction quality and administrative responsibility.
Other Notable Achievements
- UPSC CSE 2020 — AIR 30: Shri Choudhary secured All India Rank 30 in the Civil Services Examination 2020, entering the IAS in his second attempt.
- Citizen-Centred Administration in Dabra: As SDM, he worked with Apna Ghar Ashram to facilitate Aadhaar and Ayushman documentation for destitute residents; one such exercise reportedly helped reconnect a missing individual with his family after several years.
- Supporting Aspirants: During his Dabra tenure, he also worked towards establishing an e-library for competitive-examination aspirants, aimed at providing both digital and offline resources for examinations such as UPSC, MPPSC, SSC and banking.
A Visionary Outlook
Shri Divyanshu Choudhary’s administrative journey reflects an ability to combine analytical training with close engagement at the grassroots. His work in Dindori demonstrates how traditional knowledge and cultural assets can be connected with technology and modern markets, while his earlier assignments show an emphasis on practical problem-solving for citizens who may otherwise remain outside formal systems.
Why is he one of the ‘Stars of MP’?
Shri Divyanshu Choudhary stands out for recognising that tribal development can be strengthened not only through schemes, but also by creating better economic value around local skills and identity. The effort to connect Patangarh’s Gond artists directly with wider markets illustrates an approach where cultural preservation and livelihood improvement reinforce each other.
Combined with his citizen-focused work in Dabra and emphasis on accountability in rural administration, this ability to connect heritage, technology and grassroots opportunity gives Shri Divyanshu Choudhary a distinctive place among the ‘Stars of MP’.
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