Isha Basant Joshi ICS, 1st female ICS officer of India

Isha Basant Joshi ICS is the first Indian female Imperial Civil Services (ICS) officer. She joined the ICS services during the British period before independence.

Isha Basant Joshi Early Life

Isha was born on 31 December 1908 in Lucknow. She studied at La Martinere Girls High School, Lucknow, and graduated from Isabella Thoburn College. She completed her post-graduation as a Master of Arts from Lucknow University. To pursue higher studies, she went to Britain.

Isha Basant Joshi ICS (Imperial Civil Services)

Isha Basant Joshi ICS joined  the Imperial Civil Services and was the first Indian woman to do so. She served as the Joint Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner of Lucknow and later as Deputy and Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. She also became the Commissioner-cum-State-Editor of the District Gazette. She held this position until her retirement in the year 1966.

Life After Retirement as Esha Joshi

After her retirement in 1966, Joshi started the next phase of her career as an author and used to publish books under the name of Esha Joshi. Her book The Jewel in the Case and other stories and a collection of poetry titled Sanctuary was published in 1994 by the writers’ workshop Calcutta.

Isha Basant Joshin Death

Isha Basant Joshi spent her last years in a very poor and neglected conditions in Lucknow. The exact date of death or even year is not clear. She died sometime after 2004.

Also Read: Anna Rajam Malhotra IAS, 1st female IAS officer of India

See list of Famous Female IAS Officers in India

Sources

• https://lucknowobserver.com/isha-basant-joshi/
• https://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20041114/women.htm