Introduction
Himanshu Kaushik is an IAS officer of the 2018 batch, allotted to the Andhra Pradesh cadre. His story is often cited as inspiring—an “average” student in engineering with setbacks, yet he cracked the UPSC Civil Services Examination on his first attempt, securing All-India Rank (AIR) 77. Over the years, he has held several key administrative roles in Andhra Pradesh, including Sub-Collector, Collector, and most recently special officer roles. This post traces his biography, career timeline, recent news, public actions, possible controversies, and interesting facts & FAQs.
Early Life, Education & UPSC Success
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Himanshu Kaushik was born and brought up in Delhi. His father is an engineer; his mother is a Sanskrit teacher. (News18)
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He studied engineering (B.Tech) in a private institute in Ghaziabad. Although he had two backlogs during his course and average academic results (≈ 65% eventually), he persevered. (News18)
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After graduation, he worked as a software developer for about three years. Around 2016–2017 he resigned to prepare full-time for UPSC. (News18)
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UPSC Civil Services Examination 2017: First attempt, succeeded with All India Rank 77. In the 2018 batch of IAS, Andhra Pradesh cadre. (News18)
Career Timeline & Key Postings
Here is a timeline of Himanshu Kaushik’s major postings and roles, as reported in mainstream media:
Period / Year | Post / Role | Location / Department | Key Responsibilities / Notes |
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2018 (after training) | Assistant Collector under training | West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh | Part of the initial field training after foundation course. (Indian Masterminds) |
~ 2020 | Sub-Collector & Sub-Magistrate | Amalapuram, East Godavari district | First independent posting. Involved in field administration and disaster management. (Indian Masterminds) |
2020 / Flood period | Field / Disaster response | Andhra Pradesh (Konaseema / Amalapuram) | Himanshu engaged in flood relief duties; learned flood management; gained recognition in service delivery. (Indian Masterminds) |
During COVID-19 (2021/22) | Sub-collector, enforcement role | Amalapuram | Carried out inspections; sealed shops/hotels not complying with COVID norms. (The Hans India) |
2022-2023 | Collector, Konaseema district | Andhra Pradesh | Among his duties: inspecting ZP schools under Nadu-Nedu programme; checking student attendance, teacher performance, school facilities, midday meals etc. (The Hans India) |
2025 | Special Officer for AP Bhavan / Transfer in AP Government reshuffle | Andhra Pradesh government | In a recent IAS reshuffle by Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government, Himanshu was appointed Special Officer for AP Bhavan. (The Hans India) |
Late 2024 | Additional Private Secretary to Union Minister B.L. Verma (Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment) | Government of India | He was appointed as Additional Private Secretary (APS) to MoS Verma. (Ilouge Media) |
Major Initiatives & Public Actions
Some of the important actions and programs that Himanshu Kaushik has been involved with:
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Education Sector Oversight: As Collector in Konaseema, he inspected Zilla Parishad (ZP) schools – checking infrastructure, teacher attendance, food quality under Nadu-Nedu programme. He dined with students, consulted parents / headmasters to assess quality. (The Hans India)
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COVID-19 enforcement: As Sub-Collector in Amalapuram, he enforced public health orders: surprise inspections, sealed non-compliant shops and hotels, regulated mask usage and physical distancing. (The Hans India)
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Disaster / Flood Management: During heavy floods in the region, handled relief efforts; took initiative to study flood management, coordinate rescue work and help communities. (Indian Masterminds)
Recent Appointment: AP Bhavan Special Officer
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In a February-2025-2026 reshuffle of IAS officers by Andhra Pradesh state government, Himanshu Kaushik was appointed as Special Officer for AP Bhavan. AP Bhavan is the Andhra Pradesh state residence / office in New Delhi, which represents the state at the national level. (The Hans India)
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This posting often involves liaising with central ministries, handling official business of Andhra Pradesh in New Delhi, protocol, state interest representation. This represents a shift from district-level administration to more liaison / state-center coordination role.
Controversies / Challenges
So far, based on publicly available mainstream media sources, there are no major controversies directly implicating Himanshu Kaushik in wrongdoing, corruption or scandal. However, like many IAS officers, he has had challenges typical of administrative service:
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Enforcement actions tend to attract criticism from affected businesses / individuals (for example sealing of shops during COVID). But these are more enforcement vs public discontent rather than personal controversies. (The Hans India)
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Managing public expectations in school inspections, especially in rural districts (Konaseema) where resources and infrastructure are often uneven. Such administrative actions often involve criticism over pace of implementation etc., but no credible mainstream media reports of misconduct are found.
Career Strengths & Public Image
Based on his reported actions and media coverage, several strengths stand out:
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Resilience & Hard Work: His cracking of UPSC in first attempt despite academic setbacks and working in private sector shows persistence. (News18)
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Field-oriented administrator: He does not shy away from direct inspections (school, COVID checks etc.), goes into the field, interacts with students, parents, supervises infrastructure. (The Hans India)
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Adaptability: Handling varied roles – sub-collector, school oversight, disaster management, liaison in AP Bhavan, private secretary roles.
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Clean public record: No major negative allegations (so far) in reliable media sources; his actions generally seen as aligned with public interest.
Gaps / What is Less Known
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Exact birth date is not widely reported in mainstream media.
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Details about personal life (family beyond parents, early childhood) are limited.
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Long-term performance metrics (e.g. major developmental outcomes in districts under his charge) are less covered.
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Financial disclosure, personal wealth, or allegations—if any—are not visible.
Recent News & Updates
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The Hans India reported his posting as AP Bhavan Special Officer in a recent reshuffle of eight IAS officers in Andhra Pradesh. (The Hans India)
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The Hans India also covered his inspection of a ZP school in Konaseema (Bodasakurru village, Allavaram mandal) including food quality, teacher attendance, etc. (The Hans India)
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During the ongoing period (2024-2025) he has also been involved in state-centre liaison work when in AP Bhavan, and served in COVID enforcement during earlier years.
Interesting Facts
Here are a few compelling and lesser-known facts about Himanshu Kaushik:
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He cracked the UPSC Civil Services Examination in his first attempt, despite being considered an average student in engineering and having two backlogs in B.Tech. (News18)
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Before joining IAS, worked for approx 3 years as a software developer. (News18)
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Early postings included training and disaster response (flood management) which he has cited as formative in understanding ground realities. (Indian Masterminds)
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As Collector, he publicly ate food with students during school inspections – a practice to build rapport and inspect quality practically, not just official checklists. (The Hans India)
FAQs about Himanshu Kaushik IAS
Q1: Which batch is Himanshu Kaushik, and which cadre?
A1: He is from the 2018 IAS batch, allotted to the Andhra Pradesh cadre. (News18)
Q2: What rank did he get in UPSC, and in which attempt?
A2: He secured All-India Rank 77 in the 2017 Civil Services Examination. It was his first attempt. (News18)
Q3: What was his educational background and previous employment?
A3: Engineering (B.Tech) from a private college in Ghaziabad. After graduation, he worked as software developer for about three years, before quitting to prepare for UPSC. (News18)
Q4: What major positions has he held?
A4: Some key postings:
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Assistant Collector (training) in West Godavari
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Sub-Collector & Sub-Magistrate in Amalapuram, East Godavari
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Collector in Konaseema district
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Special Officer, AP Bhavan (New Delhi)
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Additional Private Secretary to Union Minister B.L. Verma (The Hans India)
Q5: Has he been involved in any controversies?
A5: No major controversies have been reported in credible mainstream media sources. He has been involved in enforcement actions (like during COVID) and school inspections, some of which may have drawn local criticism, but no scandalous allegations or lawsuits are evident.
Q6: What contributions or initiatives is he known for?
A6: Inspections of schools (infrastructure, teacher performance, midday meals etc.), COVID norm enforcement, disaster relief / flood response, improving service delivery in districts. He is known for being hands-on in field.
Conclusion
Himanshu Kaushik is one among the promising new generation of Indian Administrative Service officers. His journey—starting from average academic standing, working in the private sector, then cracking the UPSC exam in his first try—demonstrates persistence and dedication. Through field-level public service (school inspections, COVID control, disaster management), district administration, and more recently his role at AP Bhavan and central ministry liaison roles, he has built a clean reputation. While not yet associated with major controversy, the future of his administrative impact is worth following for those interested in governance and state public service.
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