Who is Smita Sabharwal, Telangana cadre IAS officer under fire for sharing AI-generated land image?
Smita Sabharwal reshared a post on X that originally depicted an AI-generated image showing earthmoving equipment, alongside two deer and a peacock.
Smita Sabharwal, an IAS officer from the Telangana cadre, received a notice from the Cyberabad Police on Wednesday for reposting an AI-generated image of a 400-acre plot in Kancha Gachibowli, located near the University of Hyderabad (UoH).
The notice seeks information related to a case involving the creation and spread of “misleading” content on social media concerning this land.
On March 31, Smita Sabharwal reshared a post on X that originally depicted an AI-generated image showing earthmoving equipment, alongside two deer and a peacock.
The Telangana government's proposal to auction this environmentally sensitive area for developing urban infrastructure and an IT park has sparked protests led by the UoH Students’ Union. Student bodies and environmentalists have opposed the plan, raising concerns about ecological preservation. The Revanth Reddy-led government has stated that the 400-acre land in Kancha Gachibowli is government-owned.
The issue is presently under judicial consideration in both the Telangana High Court and the Supreme Court.
Who is Smita Sabharwal?
- Smita Sabharwal currently serves as the principal secretary for tourism and culture in Telangana. She was appointed as Secretary to the Government for Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture on November 11, 2024.
- Born on June 19, 1977, she is a 2001-batch IAS officer of the then Andhra Pradesh cadre. Her maiden name is Smita Das. She was born into a Bengali family in Darjeeling, West Bengal. Her father, Colonel Pranab Das, served in the Indian Army, and her mother is Purabi Das.
- Sabharwal completed her schooling at St. Ann's High School in Secunderabad, where she topped the ICSE examination nationally. She pursued a commerce degree from St. Francis College for Women in Hyderabad. At the age of 22, she cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2000, securing the All India 4th rank.
- In 2001, she underwent administrative training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, followed by her district-level training in Adilabad during probation.
- Her first independent posting was as a sub-collector in Madanapalle, Chittoor, where she gained practical experience in land revenue management and district administration. She later worked in the rural development sector as the Project Director of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) in Kadapa.
- As the municipal commissioner of Warangal, she introduced the "Fund your City" initiative, which enabled the development of public infrastructure such as traffic junctions, bus stops, foot-overbridges, and parks through public-private partnerships. She subsequently served as the deputy commissioner for commercial taxes in Visakhapatnam.
