Last Updated: August 31, 2026
Divya Mittal, the 2013-batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer known for her sharp intellect and grounded public service, has often spoken openly about the role that matters most to her—being a mother. While her career journey from IIT Delhi and IIM Bangalore to a high-paying London job and then the IAS has inspired many, it is her life as a parent to two young daughters that reveals her most human side. Here is everything known about Divya Mittal IAS children and the family life she has carefully built alongside a demanding career.
Table of Contents
Who Are Divya Mittal’s Children?
Divya Mittal and her husband, Gagandeep Singh Dhillon, are parents to two daughters—Advika Dhillon and Avyana Dhillon. There are no sons in the family. As of early 2025, the elder daughter was eight years old, placing both girls in their primary school years today. The couple has kept the children largely away from the public glare, sharing only occasional thoughtful reflections rather than personal details or photos for publicity.
Mittal has described motherhood as her most challenging role—harder than clearing IIT, IIM, or the UPSC. In a widely shared 2025 Women’s Day thread, she wrote about the emotional weight of raising daughters while managing administrative responsibilities, admitting she sometimes cries at night from exhaustion yet finds strength in her children’s quiet affirmations.
Family Background and Parenting Approach
Divya grew up in a modest household where her mother, Saroj Mittal, raised three children—all of whom went on to study at IIT and IIM and build successful careers. That upbringing shaped Divya’s own parenting philosophy. She has shared practical lessons drawn from her childhood and her experience raising two girls:
- Build unshakeable self-belief by telling children they can do anything, repeatedly.
- Let them fall and learn to rise instead of rushing to protect them from every setback.
- Teach daughters that their voice matters even when the world tries to quiet them.
- Model resilience, kindness, and authenticity rather than demanding perfection.
- Prioritize justice and fairness between siblings while remaining a consistent safe place.
She stresses that children learn more from watching parents than from lectures. Strength, she notes, is steady rather than loud.
Balancing Career and Motherhood
As a district magistrate in places like Mirzapur, Sant Kabir Nagar, and Deoria, and later as Special Secretary, Divya juggled long hours, field visits, and public expectations with the daily needs of two growing girls. She has spoken candidly about the guilt that often accompanies working motherhood—especially when raising daughters in a society that still tries to dim young girls’ voices.
In August 2026, Divya announced her voluntary resignation from the IAS after 13 years of service. She described the decision as deliberate, driven by personal priorities, long-held interests, and responsibilities toward her family. She called the IAS “one chapter” of her life, not the entire story, signalling a desire for more space to focus on her daughters and other pursuits such as writing or teaching.
Life with Husband Gagandeep Singh Dhillon
Divya met her husband while both worked in London’s finance sector. Gagandeep, an IIT and IIM alumnus himself, later joined the Indian Trade Service and eventually left government service. The couple returned to India together, prepared for the civil services, and built a partnership rooted in shared ambition and mutual support. Today they raise their two daughters as a team, valuing privacy while Divya continues to offer parenting insights drawn from real experience. Detail Information Mother Divya Mittal (2013-batch IAS, UP cadre) Father Gagandeep Singh Dhillon Daughters Advika Dhillon, Avyana Dhillon Sons None Elder Daughter’s Age (2025) 8 years Family Philosophy Confidence, resilience, authenticity Recent Family Focus Greater priority after 2026 resignation
Conclusion
Divya Mittal’s children, Advika and Avyana, remain the quiet centre of a remarkable life. While the public knows Divya as the officer who left a London career to serve in Uttar Pradesh and later chose family priorities over continued service, her most consistent message has been about raising strong, kind, and self-assured daughters. In an age of curated online parenting advice, her reflections stand out for their honesty—acknowledging the exhaustion, the guilt, and the small daily victories that define real motherhood. As she steps into a new chapter, the focus on her two girls appears set to grow even stronger, offering a grounded reminder that the most lasting impact often begins at home.