Bhubaneswar: Two district collectors of Odisha got engaged to enter into wedlock after divorce from their spouses of first marriage.
Sambalpur district collector Ananya Das and Balangir district collector Chanchal Rana exchanged engagement rings in presence of their family members and close relatives at the former’s official residence in Sambalpur on Sunday. Sonepur collector Aboli Sunil Naravane and Sambalpur SP B Gangadhar also attended the programme. The pictures of their engagement function have gone viral on social media.
Ananya Das, a 2015 batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, belongs to Assam. After getting married to Odisha-cadre IAS officer Abdaal M Akhtar, she was allowed to change her cadre. Akhtar is the present Koraput collector. Prior to her posting as Sambalpur Collector, Ananya was the Commissioner of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC).
Chanchal Rana, a 2014 batch IAS officer, belongs to West Bengal. But his upbringing and studies were in Odisha. He was married to Rayagada collector Swadha Dev Singh. While Ananya had secured all-India 26th rank in her batch, Chanchal had bagged 9th position.
After their divorce from their spouses due to differences, Chanchal and Ananya decided to marry each other. Though they have not announced their marriage date, media reports suggest that they will tie the knot within three months.
