IAS Ananya Mittal is a 2015 batch officer of the Jharkhand cadre and is currently posted as the Deputy Commissioner of East Singhbhum/Jamshedpur. Known for his proactive governance, Mittal was recently honoured with the ‘Best Electoral Practices Award’ and earlier with the ‘Bhoomi Samman Award’ for the successful digitization of land records, both presented by President Murmu.

His vision for the district is to bridge the exposure gap among students from remote, underserved areas, many of whom are first generation learners.

To achieve this, Mittal has launched Project Anveshana.The initiative encourages students to think beyond textbooks through real world learning experiences

“It aims to spark ambition, build confidence, and broaden the educational and aspirational landscape for young learners” he quoted.

The project is designed to foster awareness about diverse career opportunities and professional sectors, Inspire higher academic and career aspirations through hands-on exposure, Develop practical skills and sector-specific knowledge, Cultivate civic responsibility, Promote cultural pride, environmental consciousness and Enable holistic learning by connecting classroom concepts with real world applications.

Catering to students enrolled in government secondary and higher secondary schools,the programme is thoughtfully structured to identify meritorious students and offer them exposure to various professional domains.

Under Mittal’s leadership, the first phase was successfully executed in January with the participation of 450 students and has now entered second phase with 750 selected students from Classes IX to XII. These Students visited nine prestigious institutions of national and international repute, including Tata Motors, Indo-Danish Tool Room, NTTF, the JRD Tata Sports Complex, and more.

“These institutions provided students with hands-on learning experiences across domains such as advanced technical training, scientific research, waste management practices, wildlife conservation, world-class sports infrastructure, and historical insights into Tatanagar’s industrial legacy.” Mittal shared

Additionally keeping in mind student’s safety, transportation was arranged from each school, with two faculty members accompanying every group. “Students actively engaged with subject matter experts, asked thoughtful questions, and gained practical insights that extended far beyond classroom instruction.” Mittal noted 

Looking ahead, Mittal has ambitious plans to expand Project Anveshana to include all secondary and higher secondary schools in the district and collaborate across Jharkhand and beyond, at both state and national levels.

Project Anveshana lays a powerful step to drive meaningful learning outcomes, raise aspirations, and lay the foundation for professional excellence among the youth of East Singhbhum.