Hari Chandana Dasari
Hari Chandana Dasari is an Indian Administrative Service officer of the 2010 batch, Telangana cadre. She has served as District Collector of Nalgonda and Narayanpet districts, and as a Zonal Commissioner for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. Her work has focused on urban development and environmental initiatives..Early life and education
Hari Chandana graduated from St. Ann's College, Hyderabad, and earned her master's degree in political science from the University of Hyderabad. She later completed a postgraduate degree in Environmental Economics from the London School of Economics. She cleared the UPSC exam in 2009 on her second attempt.Career
Hari Chandana began her career in the Indian Administrative Service in 2010. Her assignments have included Zonal Commissioner for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, where she worked on urban infrastructure projects. She later served as the District Collector of Narayanpet District and then as District Collector of Nalgonda. She was appointed Special Secretary to the Government of Telangana in the Roads & Buildings Department. In 2024, she was named Hyderabad district collector.. Hari Chandana as a Returning Officer in the Warangal, Khammam, and Nalgonda MLC by-elections, overseeing the electoral arrangements and ensuring a smooth and successful voting process.], She served as the District Collector of Nalgonda and Narayanpet districts, and as a Zonal Commissioner in GHMC, where she worked on projects related to urban infrastructure and sanitation.Initiatives
Smart Towns and Villages: Earlier during her stint as the Zonal Commissioner in GHMC and as the District Magistrate of Narayanpet, Hari Chandana emphasized the importance of developing smart towns and villages as a foundation for achieving the vision of smart cities.], She has been referred to in media reports as an ‘eco warrior’ for her work in waste management and sustainability. ] Under her leadership, Hyderabad recycled 25 million metric tons of plastic waste into paver tiles way back in 2017-18, contributing to the Swachh Bharat Mission and also the GHMC Office Building had earned the prestigious Green Standard Award from the Indian Green Building Council.], During her tenure at GHMC and as District Collector, Hari Chandana initiated several sustainability and public health programs, including waste recycling, telemedicine services, and women-led self-employment schemes.]], She Toilets Initiative: She Toilets initiative were aimed at providing clean and safe sanitation facilities for women, significantly impacting their health and dignity which was a flagship initiative in the country and in the state. Moreso, Mobile She Toilets were a hit with one and all.], Toilet Campaign in Narayanpet: Her toilet campaign in Narayanpet improved sanitation and hygiene, positively affecting the lives of women in the region. This ensured dignity and hygiene for all others is in alignment with the UNDP-goals, Aarunya: This online initiative empowers marginalized rural artisans by providing them with skills to own and manage an online enterprise and directly connecting them with consumers through an e-commerce platform, thus Aarunya effectively connected the rural artisans directly with the urban clients there by ensuring maximum profits to women, T-Consult: A telemedicine initiative that offers free medical consultations via video conferencing, breaking down geographical barriers to access quality healthcare especially during the COVID-19 period and later. This platform connected to super specialist and general doctors with the rural people with a service motto.], Lake Rejuvenation and Beautification: Played a key role in rejuvenating lakes, including Durgam Cheruvu, into parks and landscapes, Holistic Development of Children and Youth: Developed Panchatantra-themed parks, libraries, and playgrounds, promoting holistic development and aligning them with various child and youth development programs in and around old and new city area, Early Coders: An initiative to bridge the digital divide by teaching coding to over 2000 students from 61 schools in the Narayanpet district, She was involved in heritage restoration projects, including stepwell conservation efforts, and promoted e-commerce platforms for rural artisans.Recognition and awards
Hari Chandana's work has been acknowledged by several publications. The Economic Times, for example, featured her as one of ten IAS officers ]recognized for public service innovation.