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Pooja Singhal Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth7 July 1978

Age46 Years (as of 2024)

BirthplaceDehradun, Uttarakhand

ProfessionCivil servant (IAS officer)

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseAbhishek Jha

FamilyBrother - Sidharth Singhal (businessman)

Pooja Singhal Biography

Pooja Singhal is an Indian Administrative Service officer from the 2000 batch who has held several senior administrative roles in Jharkhand, including as a

Early life and background

Pooja Singhal was born on 7 July 1978 in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. She completed higher education at Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University and holds an MBA in Business Management. Noted for strong academic performance in school and college, she became one of the youngest entrants to the Indian Administrative Service, joining the 2000 IAS batch at the age of 21.

Career

Singhal’s career has been centered in the state of Jharkhand, where she served in a variety of administrative posts. She trained at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie. Over the years she has worked as a district deputy commissioner in multiple districts and has held departmental secretary-level positions in the state government.

In 2021 she served as secretary for the departments covering tourism, art, culture, sports and youth affairs before being transferred later that year to the industries, mines and geology departments. She has also served as managing director of the Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation Limited.

Her tenure has included a range of initiatives and administrative actions. Early in her career she exposed irregularities involving distribution of educational supplies and conducted the first disability survey in areas under her administration. As secretary of sports, she was involved with state support for young athletes, including girls selected for the India U17 Women’s team.

While posted as a deputy commissioner, she authorized funding under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to local organizations and was involved in administrative decisions on natural resource allocations and mining-related matters.

Public profile

Singhal’s profile has been shaped by both administrative achievements and high-profile controversies. Her name has been linked in media reports to allegations concerning MNREGA-related spending while she was Deputy Commissioner of Khunti. Separate reporting has described allegations related to allocation and operation of certain sand and mining activities, and an investigation by authorities that included raids on properties and seizure of cash.

She has faced claims and inquiries in relation to allotment of coal blocks and other resource-related decisions made during her postings. Some incidents reported in the media include clashes with local insurgent groups during a posting in Chatra and contested accounts around those events. Legal proceedings related to money-laundering statutes have been part of public reporting, including a bail granted by a special court in Ranchi in December 2024 after an earlier Supreme Court rejection of bail.

Alongside these controversies, colleagues and contemporaries at the training academy and in service have at times noted her performance and potential for senior leadership roles within the civil service.

Personal life

Pooja Singhal is married. Her current spouse is listed as Abhishek Jha, and an earlier marriage to an IAS officer, Rahul Purwar, is also noted. She has a brother named Sidharth Singhal, who is described as a businessman.

Latest updates

Recent reporting covered law-enforcement action in connection with alleged irregularities tied to mining-related operations and the seizure of cash from properties linked to her. Court developments included a bail order from a Ranchi special PMLA court in December 2024 following prior judicial decisions.

Singhal’s career continues to attract public and media attention because of the combination of her early entry to the IAS, senior administrative roles in Jharkhand government departments, and ongoing legal and administrative matters that have featured in national and regional news coverage.
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Recent Work

Secretary, Tourism, Art, Culture, Sports & Youth Affairs, Jharkhand

Served as departmental secretary overseeing tourism, culture and sports (2021)

2021
Secretary, Industries, Mines & Geology, Jharkhand

Transferred to lead the industries, mines and geology departments (2021)

2021
Managing Director, Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation Limited

Led the state mineral development corporation in an executive role

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Career Highlights

  1. Joined the Indian Administrative Service in the 2000 batch at age 21
  2. Trained at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie
  3. Served as secretary for multiple departments in the Jharkhand government
  4. Managed the Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation Limited
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Pooja Singhal born?

7 July 1978

What is Pooja Singhal known for?

Civil servant (IAS officer)

What is Pooja Singhal’s marital status?

Married

Who is Pooja Singhal married to?

Abhishek Jha