From UPSC AIR 96 to PM Modi’s Private Secretary: The Inspiring Journey of IFS Officer Nidhi Tiwari
In the highly competitive world of India’s civil services, few careers illustrate the power of sustained ambition, academic excellence, and quiet professional competence as clearly as that of Nidhi Tiwari. A 2014-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer who secured All India Rank 96 in the 2013 UPSC Civil Services Examination, Tiwari now serves as Private Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Her elevation to one of the most trusted administrative positions in the Prime Minister’s Office marks a significant milestone, not only in her own career but also as a reflection of the diverse talent that continues to shape India’s highest echelons of governance.
Tiwari’s story begins in Uttar Pradesh. Associated closely with Varanasi’s Mahmoorganj area—Prime Minister Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency since 2014—she built an outstanding academic record rooted in the sciences. She completed her B.Sc. in Biochemistry from Lucknow University, earning a gold medal, before moving to Banaras Hindu University for her M.Sc. in Biochemistry. At BHU she again excelled, securing another gold medal. Her academic brilliance opened the doors to one of India’s premier scientific institutions: she was selected as a scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
For many, a position at BARC would have represented the culmination of years of study. Tiwari, however, harboured a different aspiration. In 2008 she left the scientific track to pursue the civil services. Around the same period she balanced family responsibilities after marriage and the birth of her son. She later cleared the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission examination and served as Assistant Commissioner in the Commercial Tax Department in Varanasi. While working, she continued preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination—a demanding dual commitment that tested her discipline and resolve.
Her first serious attempt at the national level did not yield immediate success; reports indicate she appeared on the waiting list in an earlier cycle. Persistence paid off in the 2013 examination, when she secured All India Rank 96. The rank earned her a place in the Indian Foreign Service, and she joined the 2014 batch. During training she stood out once again, receiving the Ambassador Bimal Sanyal Memorial Medal for Best Officer Trainee and recognition for the best dissertation. These early distinctions signalled the high standards she would maintain throughout her career.
As an IFS officer, Tiwari was posted in the Ministry of External Affairs, where she worked in the Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division. The assignment placed her at the intersection of diplomacy, strategic affairs, and international security—domains that demand both technical understanding and nuanced judgment. Officers who handle such portfolios routinely engage with complex multilateral issues, treaty frameworks, and India’s broader security interests. The experience equipped her with a deep appreciation of the linkages between foreign policy and national security, skills that would later prove valuable in the Prime Minister’s Office.
In November 2022, Tiwari moved to the Prime Minister’s Office as an Under Secretary. Within months, in January 2023, she was promoted to Deputy Secretary. At the PMO she worked in the Foreign and Security vertical, dealing with matters related to external affairs, security, and associated domains, operating in close coordination with the National Security Advisor’s office. The role required precision, discretion, and the ability to manage sensitive information under tight timelines—qualities essential for any officer serving at the apex of government.
Her steady performance culminated in her appointment as Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the move in late March 2025. According to the official order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training, she was appointed in Level 12 of the pay matrix on a co-terminus basis or until further orders. The position of Private Secretary is among the most demanding in the PMO. It involves managing the Prime Minister’s official schedule, coordinating high-level communications, facilitating inter-ministerial coordination, and ensuring the seamless flow of information on critical issues. Absolute confidentiality and the capacity to operate effectively under pressure are non-negotiable requirements.
Tiwari’s rise is notable for several reasons. She is among the relatively small number of career diplomats who have transitioned into core domestic governance roles at the highest level. Her background in both scientific research and diplomatic work brings a distinctive perspective to the PMO, particularly on issues involving international security, nuclear energy, and global engagement. At the same time, her journey from a gold-medalist science student and BARC scientist to tax administrator, UPSC rank-holder, IFS officer, and finally Private Secretary underscores a consistent theme: the willingness to leave secure and prestigious positions in pursuit of a larger public-service goal.
For civil services aspirants, Tiwari’s path offers practical lessons. Success rarely follows a straight line. She navigated the demands of marriage and early parenthood, the decision to leave a scientific career, the grind of preparation while holding a state government job, and the inevitable setbacks that accompany the UPSC process. What distinguished her was continuity of effort and the ability to convert each stage of experience—whether in a laboratory, a tax office, or a diplomatic division—into professional capital.
Her story also reflects broader shifts within the Indian administrative system. The increasing presence of officers with specialised domain knowledge, whether in science, technology, or international relations, strengthens the capacity of institutions at the centre. When such officers move into the PMO, they contribute not only administrative efficiency but also informed judgment on complex policy questions.
Today, as Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Nidhi Tiwari occupies a position of significant trust and responsibility. From the lecture halls of Lucknow University and Banaras Hindu University, through the laboratories of BARC, the tax offices of Varanasi, the corridors of the Ministry of External Affairs, and the high-pressure environment of the Prime Minister’s Office, her career has been marked by academic distinction, professional adaptability, and steady advancement. In an era when the civil services continue to attract some of India’s brightest minds, her trajectory stands as a compelling example of what sustained excellence and purposeful ambition can achieve.
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