Telangana’s Daughter Keerthi Jalli IAS Selected for Prestigious Humphrey Fellowship at MIT, USA
Hyderabad, August 08: In a moment of immense pride for Telangana and the nation, Ms. Keerthi Jalli, IAS (2013 Batch), Assam-Meghalaya Cadre, has been selected for the globally renowned Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, under which she will pursue advanced professional studies in Technology Policy and Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA, beginning in August 2026.
Keerthi Jalli, who traces her roots to Tharigoppula in Old Warangal district, Telangana, completed her education in Hyderabad before joining the Indian Administrative Service. She hails from a humble agricultural family. Her father is a Senior Advocate practicing in the High Court for the State of Telangana, while her mother is a homemaker. Her remarkable journey from rural Telangana to one of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions stands as an inspiration for aspiring civil servants across the country.
An accomplished IAS officer of the 2013 batch, Ms. Jalli currently serves as Commissioner, Panchayat and Rural Development, Government of Assam, and Mission Director, Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), Assam. During her distinguished administrative career spanning over a decade, she has held several key leadership positions and earned widespread recognition for her commitment to public welfare, transparent governance, and innovative administration.
As District Commissioner, she spearheaded transformative initiatives in maternal and child health, nutrition, anemia control, women’s empowerment, and citizen-centric governance in geographically challenging and socio-economically vulnerable regions. She also played a pivotal role in flood management and COVID-19 relief operations, for which she received the Chief Minister’s Karmashree Award for Excellence in Public Administration.
In her present role, she is leading major rural development and sanitation initiatives aimed at strengthening Panchayati Raj institutions, promoting sustainable sanitation, improving rural livelihoods, and building climate-resilient communities through decentralized governance.
A B.Tech graduate in Computer Science and Engineering, Keerthi Jalli has consistently demonstrated excellence in designing and implementing large-scale public development programmes. During the ten-month Humphrey Fellowship at MIT, she will focus on Technology Policy and Management, studying how emerging technologies, digital public infrastructure, and data-driven governance can further improve public service delivery, particularly for underserved communities.
Her selection for this prestigious international fellowship is a matter of great pride for Telangana and reflects the growing contribution of officers from the State in shaping public policy and governance at the global level.
Speaking on the occasion, members of her family and well-wishers expressed happiness over the achievement, stating that her dedication, perseverance, and commitment to public service continue to inspire the younger generation to pursue excellence with integrity and determination.
Ms. Keerthi Jalli’s remarkable achievement reinforces the message that determination, hard work, and a commitment to public service can take individuals from humble beginnings to the world’s finest institutions, bringing recognition not only to their families but also to their State and the nation.
