Avi Prasad IAS – The Officer Who Married 3 IAS Officers

Educational Background 

Education has been the cornerstone of Avi Prasad IAS’s rise to prominence. His academic journey reflects a disciplined, multi-disciplinary approach that set the stage for his outstanding UPSC performance and subsequent administrative excellence.

Education Level	Details
School Education	Completed schooling in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh — exact institution not publicly disclosed
Undergraduate Degree	B.A./B.Com — International Business and Finance, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), New Delhi
Law Degree	LLB — Institution not publicly disclosed
Management Degree	MBA — Institution not publicly disclosed
UPSC Preparation	New Delhi — Self-prepared with strategic study plan after RBI career
Optional Subject (UPSC)	Not publicly disclosed
Alma Mater	Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi (Central University)
Academic Strengths	International Business, Finance, Law, Public Administration
Additional Training	LBSNAA (Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration), Mussoorie — IAS Foundation Course, 2014

 Physical Statistics 

Attribute	Details
Height	Approximately 5 feet 8 inches (172 cm) — Estimated
Weight	Approximately 68–72 kg — Estimated
Eye Color	Black / Dark Brown
Hair Color	Black
Build	Athletic / Moderate
Distinguishing Features	Professional demeanor; known for approachable personality in field visits

UPSC & Career Timeline 

The career of IAS Avi Prasad is a testament to the power of persistence. His journey from a Reserve Bank of India manager to one of Madhya Pradesh’s most effective district collectors illustrates that the path to meaningful public service often runs through setbacks and bold decisions.

Year	Position	Key Contributions
2013	UPSC CSE – Selected IPS	Cleared Civil Services Exam; allocated IPS; joined foundation course at Mussoorie
2013–2014	IPS Foundation Course (Dropped)	Left IPS course midway to re-attempt UPSC with the goal of joining IAS
2014	UPSC CSE – Selected IAS (AIR 13)	Secured All India Rank 13; allocated Madhya Pradesh cadre as IAS officer
2014–2016	Probationary Training & Early Postings	Completed IAS training at LBSNAA Mussoorie; District-level postings in Madhya Pradesh
2016–2018	Sub-Divisional Officer / JTDM Postings	Field-level administration; experience in revenue and rural development
2018–2020	District Panchayat CEO	Managed gram panchayat-level governance; drove rural welfare schemes
2020–2022	Additional Collector / District-level Roles	Strengthened district administration; COVID-19 relief management
Nov 2022 – Jul 2024	Collector, Katni District	Landmark posting; launched community malnutrition combat program; significant tribal & rural development
2024–2025	Deputy Secretary, MP Government	Policy formulation and state-level administrative roles
2025–Present	CEO, MP Employment Guarantee Council; Director, Watershed Mission (PMKSY 2.0); State Coordinator, PM Poshan Shakti Nirman	Overseeing MGNREGA implementation, watershed management, and mid-day meal nutrition schemes across Madhya Pradesh

Detailed Biography

Early Life & Humble Beginnings

The story of Avi Prasad IAS begins in the heartland of Uttar Pradesh — Sitapur, a district known more for its agricultural character than for producing India’s top civil servants. Born on April 9, 1986, into a family with a proud political legacy, Avi Prasad grew up in an environment where public service was not an abstract ideal but a lived reality. His grandfather, Tambeshwar Prasad — popularly known as Baccha Babu — had served as a minister in the government of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, one of India’s most revered leaders of agrarian India. This heritage instilled in young Avi a sense of duty to the people, an understanding of governance, and an appreciation for what honest public service can accomplish at the grassroots level.

Growing up in Sitapur gave Avi Prasad IAS an unfiltered view of rural India — its struggles, its aspirations, and its potential. He witnessed firsthand the gap between policy corridors and ground reality, a gap that would later drive his hands-on, people-centric administrative style. From his school years onwards, Avi demonstrated intellectual curiosity and an ambition that transcended the boundaries of his home district.

Educational Journey & Urban Aspirations

In pursuit of higher education, Avi Prasad IAS moved to the national capital, New Delhi, where he enrolled at Jamia Millia Islamia — a Central University with a rich tradition of academic excellence and social consciousness. Choosing International Business and Finance as his area of study was a deliberate, forward-thinking decision that gave him a macro-level understanding of economics and markets. He would later supplement this with an LLB and an MBA — a rare trifecta of qualifications that made him exceptionally well-rounded for administrative challenges.

During his years in Delhi, Avi also absorbed the competitive spirit of UPSC aspirant culture that pervades the city. He saw peers preparing for civil services, understood the enormity of the challenge, and quietly began nurturing his own ambitions. Before taking the UPSC plunge, however, he made a practical choice that would add a critical dimension to his career.

The RBI Chapter: Building Before the Breakthrough

Before most of his contemporaries were settling into their career choices, Avi Prasad IAS demonstrated exceptional talent by qualifying for a managerial role at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The RBI is not merely a prestigious institution — it is the backbone of India’s financial system, and working there demands analytical rigor, process discipline, and economic literacy of the highest order. This stint equipped Avi Prasad with financial acumen, problem-solving methodologies, and an understanding of macroeconomic policy that has since been evident in his development-focused administrative work.

Yet, the call of the IAS was stronger. The desire to effect change not just within spreadsheets and monetary policy frameworks but at the ground level — in villages, in tribal areas, in the lives of ordinary citizens — drove Avi Prasad to leave the security of the RBI and bet on himself in one of the world’s toughest competitive examinations.

UPSC Preparation Journey: The Courage to Leave IPS for IAS

The UPSC Civil Services Examination journey of Avi Prasad IAS is genuinely one of the most inspiring stories in recent civil services history. In 2013, he successfully cleared the UPSC examination and was selected for the Indian Police Service (IPS). Most candidates would have celebrated this as a dream achievement. Avi Prasad saw it differently — he reported for the IPS foundation course at Mussoorie, the hill-station home of India’s premier civil services training academy. And then, in a decision that shocked many, he made the boldest call of his life.

Midway through the IPS foundation course, Avi Prasad IAS withdrew — surrendering a guaranteed IPS career — to re-attempt the UPSC examination with the singular goal of joining the Indian Administrative Service. This was not impulsiveness; it was a calculated, deeply considered decision driven by a clear vision of the kind of impact he wanted to make. The IPS, for all its power and prestige, is primarily a law enforcement service. The IAS, as a generalist administrative service, offers the opportunity to drive development across sectors — from rural infrastructure to public health to education to economic planning. That is where Avi Prasad wanted to be.

In 2014, his conviction was vindicated. Avi Prasad cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination with an All India Rank of 13 — a score that placed him among the finest civil servants of his generation and secured him the IAS with the Madhya Pradesh cadre. The story of how he sacrificed IPS for IAS is now a reference point for UPSC coaches and aspirants across India.

Career in Madhya Pradesh: From Probationer to Policy Maker

Allocated to the Madhya Pradesh cadre, IAS Avi Prasad began his career with the standard probationary training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) and district-level postings. He quickly distinguished himself as an officer who combined analytical intelligence with genuine field commitment. His early postings as Sub-Divisional Officer and District Panchayat CEO exposed him to the full spectrum of rural governance, from land revenue disputes to gram sabha management to implementation of central government schemes.

In each posting, Avi Prasad IAS demonstrated a working philosophy centered on three principles: listen first, plan collaboratively, and execute with accountability. These values would become even more evident during his marquee posting as District Collector of Katni.

Landmark Posting: District Collector, Katni (2022–2024)

If there is one posting that truly defines the career of IAS Avi Prasad so far, it is his tenure as District Collector and District Magistrate of Katni — a mineral-rich but development-challenged district in Madhya Pradesh. From November 2022 to July 2024, Avi Prasad IAS served as the administrative head of Katni, and his tenure left a mark that residents and officials still speak of with admiration.

The most celebrated initiative during this period was a community-driven program to combat child malnutrition — a persistent and painful challenge in many parts of Madhya Pradesh, particularly in tribal and rural pockets. Rather than approaching malnutrition as merely a supply-chain problem of nutrition supplements, Avi Prasad IAS framed it as a community challenge requiring community solutions. He engaged local panchayat leaders, ASHA workers, anganwadi functionaries, and village communities themselves in identifying nutritionally vulnerable children and devising locally appropriate dietary interventions. The results were measurable and significant, drawing recognition from the state government.

Current Position & Recent Developments (2025–2026)

As of early 2026, Avi Prasad IAS is serving in multiple high-responsibility roles at the state level in Madhya Pradesh:

Role	Details
Primary Role	Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Madhya Pradesh Employment Guarantee Council (MGNREGA oversight)
Additional Charge 1	Director, Watershed Mission (PMKSY 2.0) — Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
Additional Charge 2	State Coordinator, PM Poshan Shakti Nirman (formerly Mid-Day Meal Scheme)
Location	Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Focus Areas	Rural employment generation, watershed development, child nutrition at scale

Major Achievements & Recognition