Nidhi Tiwari, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, has taken on a key role as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s private secretary. Her career, however, began far from the corridors of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Before becoming private secretary to the prime minister, Tiwari served as a Deputy Secretary in the PMO, where she worked on matters concerning foreign affairs and security. Her professional journey also includes a stint as a scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
From Lucknow to BHU
Tiwari is from Lucknow, where she completed her schooling and graduation. After obtaining a BSc degree, she pursued postgraduate studies in Biochemistry at Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
She was awarded a gold medal during her postgraduate studies at BHU, before moving into scientific research and government service.
She left BARC to pursue civil services
Tiwari joined BARC as a scientist after completing her studies. However, she continued to harbour ambitions of entering the civil services.
In 2008, she left her position at BARC and began preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination.
Her first major breakthrough did not come immediately. In the 2012 examination, Tiwari was placed on the waiting list. She continued her preparation and appeared for the examination again.
Secured 96th rank in UPSC
Tiwari eventually secured an All India Rank of 96 in the 2013 UPSC Civil Services Examination. Her rank earned her a place in the Indian Foreign Service, and she joined the 2014 batch.
Her IFS career saw her work on areas including disarmament and international security at the Ministry of External Affairs. The experience gave her exposure to foreign policy and security matters.
Role in the PMO
Tiwari joined the Prime Minister’s Office in November 2022 as an Under Secretary. She was subsequently promoted to Deputy Secretary.
During her tenure in the PMO, she handled matters linked to foreign affairs and security and also worked on security-related issues alongside National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Her progression from a BARC scientist to an IFS officer and eventually to the PMO reflects a career spanning science, diplomacy and national security.