Suparjya swain 
Feature: When you meet Smt. Uma Nanduri, you are struck not just by her quiet authority, but by the clarity with which she speaks about forests, people, and the future. For her, environmental governance is not an abstract administrative duty — it is a living commitment to protect Odisha’s natural wealth while ensuring that its communities share in the benefits of development. A 1993-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of the Odisha cadre, she has built a career that bridges conservation, regulation, and inclusive growth. Today, she leads from the front as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Kendu Leaf) and Member Secretary of the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), shaping policies that directly affect the state’s forests, industries, and cities.
Her journey has been one marked by historic court orders, pioneering projects, and the responsibility of stewarding some of India’s most ecologically sensitive regions. Among her most defining assignments was her tenure as Chief Executive Officer of the Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC), the Special Purpose Vehicle set up following the Supreme Court’s landmark orders to channel compensation funds from mining towards the holistic development of Odisha’s mineral-bearing districts. Under her leadership, OMBADC became not just a financial mechanism but a visionary instrument for change. She oversaw the documentation of its key milestones, from registration as an SPV to receipt of initial CAMPA funds, to the Board’s landmark decisions that prioritized development sectors and guided implementation in tribal, mining-affected areas. The Supreme Court’s order of October 2018 proved to be a turning point for the organization, laying down directions for OMBADC’s functioning, sectoral priorities, and oversight mechanisms. Working alongside stalwarts such as Hon’ble Justice A.K. Patnaik, Chief Secretary Shri Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, IAS, and Development Commissioner-cum-ACS Shri Pradeep Kumar Jena, IAS, she ensured that OMBADC remained firmly aligned with its mission of empowering tribal regions and mining-affected communities.
Her expertise in environmental law and management positioned her perfectly to handle multiple, complex portfolios simultaneously. Before her OMBADC leadership, she served as Chief Conservator of Forests (Planning & Afforestation) and CEO of the state’s CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund), managing afforestation programs and fund utilization. In 2021, she was entrusted with the role of Additional PCCF (Forest Conservation) and nodal officer for forest clearance matters, a critical position ensuring regulatory balance between industrial development and ecological preservation. Her current charge as Member Secretary of the SPCB marks yet another significant milestone, where she is at the helm of enforcing key environmental legislations, overseeing industrial compliance, monitoring pollution levels, and spearheading state-wide initiatives like the State Clean Air Programme.
In October 2021, Smt. Nanduri was handpicked by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet to serve as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, leading the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Secretariat — a once-in-a-lifetime national campaign commemorating 75 years of India’s independence. Over her three-year tenure in New Delhi, she helped shape programs that celebrated India’s cultural heritage, engaged citizens across the country, and forged a sense of collective national pride. Her repatriation to Odisha in early 2025 came as a recognition of her merit and to enable her promotion to the highest rungs of the state’s forest service. Upon her return, she assumed the dual responsibilities of PCCF (Kendu Leaf) — overseeing one of Odisha’s most important forest produce sectors — and the top executive role at SPCB.
What sets Smt. Uma Nanduri apart is not just the offices she has held, but the coherence with which she has connected policy, people, and purpose. Whether designing development interventions in mineral-affected regions, leading afforestation and pollution-control initiatives, or curating cultural milestones for a nation-wide celebration, she has brought the same blend of administrative discipline and empathetic leadership. Her academic grounding — M.Sc., PG Diploma in Environmental Law, and MBA — complements her administrative acumen, allowing her to engage with environmental, legal, and managerial challenges with equal finesse. Colleagues often note her ability to work across institutions, bringing together diverse stakeholders to find actionable solutions.
As Odisha continues to balance rapid industrialization with the imperatives of environmental protection, leaders like Smt. Nanduri will remain crucial. Her current mandate — regulating pollution, managing forest resources, and ensuring sustainable development in tribal and mining regions — represents some of the most urgent priorities for the state’s future.
Smt. Uma Nanduri’s story is one of consistency, resilience, and impact. From the corridors of the Ministry of Culture to the dense forests of Odisha, from courtroom-mandated development corporations to pollution-control boards, she has worn many hats — each with an unwavering commitment to public service. As she continues to lead Odisha’s environmental governance and forest administration, she stands as a torchbearer of sustainable growth, proving that progress and preservation can — and must — go hand in hand.
