A video of IAS officer Tina Dabi during flag hoisting has gone viral. She explains how the mistake happened and clears the air.
A momentary lapse from the Republic Day celebrations in Rajasthan’s Barmer has put senior IAS officer Tina Dabi at the centre of a social media storm. During the official ceremony at the District Collectorate on January 26, a video capturing Dabi’s lapse during the flag unfurling has gone viral, and triggered an online debate about the expectations placed on high-profile civil servants.
Why Tina Dabi’s Flag Hoisting Video Went Viral
The video shows Tina Dabi, who is currently posted as the district collector of Barmer in Rajasthan, unfurling the national flag during the official Republic Day event.
As she proceeded to take the salute after hoisting the flag, she briefly turned in the wrong direction, leading to a moment of visible confusion on the dais.
The video became a lightning rod for debate because it captured a rare moment of visible confusion from a top-ranking official during a high-stakes national event, leading to millions of views and intense scrutiny from both critics and supporters.
What Mistake Happened During the Ceremony
By turning in the wrong direction, Tina made a mistake thus causing embarrassment as she being the district collector of Barmer, Rajasthan. Within seconds, a security guard present at the venue noticed the error and gestured towards the correct direction.
Tina Dabi immediately understood the mistake, corrected her posture and completed the salute in the proper direction.
The entire sequence lasted only a few seconds and the ceremony continued without any further interruption.
Trust me, she is Tina Dabi, the District Collector of Barmer district, Rajasthan. pic.twitter.com/VYrhm7X4tM
— Manish RJ (@mrjethwani_) January 26, 2026
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Tina Dabi’s Clarification on the Incident
Though Tina Dabi did not comment through any of her social media on why the gaffe happened.
Newspaper reports quoted Tina Dabi addressing the issue.
“The lapse was completely unintentional and occurred due to momentary confusion during a tightly packed Republic Day schedule filled with multiple official engagements,” Tina Dabi was reported by media as saying.
Public Reaction on Social Media
However, the short clip was widely shared on social media platforms, where it sparked intense reactions.
Many users criticised the IAS officer, questioning how such a lapse could occur during an event of national importance.
Several posts claimed that an officer of her stature should have been more careful during a ceremonial duty involving the national flag.
Some social media comments went further, recalling her background and career.
Users pointed out that Tina Dabi had secured All India Rank 1 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2015 and described the incident as careless.
A few posts also questioned her seriousness during the ceremony, while others termed the moment embarrassing for the dignity of the post she holds.
“She is Tina Dabi, Barmer IAS — She secured AIR 1 in UPSC CSE 2015 exam under SC category however her father and mother both were IAS & IES officer. — Look, how casual she is while unfurling & saluting the flag — She forgets where should she salute,” wrote one user on social media platform ‘X’.
Another wrote, “On Republic Day, Tina Dabi, even as an IAS officer, doesn't know where to give the salute. This is extremely shameful for the dignity of this position.”
The Critics: Some netizens labeled the incident a "protocol violation," with some using the moment to criticize the UPSC selection process or attributing the slip to "reservation quotas." Terms like "reelbaaz babu" (social-media-focused officer) were used by those claiming that senior officers should be above such basic errors.
Meet Tina Dabi (Gem of Reservation quota)
— The Batman (@Vayubat) January 27, 2026
>She is IAS
> currently posted in Barmer (RJ)
>She topped in UPSC in 2015
>Knowledge 0
>Reservation quota -100%
She doesn't even know that how to hoist the national flag and busy searching for camera for her reel
Reservation quota pic.twitter.com/A40fvPJoEV
The Supporters: Conversely, many users urged restraint, calling it an "honest human mistake." Supporters pointed out that the heavy administrative pressure of organizing Republic Day events can lead to minor slips and argued that the backlash was "blown out of proportion" simply because of her high-profile status.
Don't know why but most people on the internet jealous of her, maybe because they failed to achieve this level of feat.
— S A U R A B H In (@YadavSaurabh_45) January 26, 2026
More power to you IAS Tina Dabi. pic.twitter.com/HkzGqAhVK4
Who Is Tina Dabi? IAS Career Highlights
Tina Dabi is a 2016-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre and is among the most well-known civil servants in the country.
She gained nationwide recognition after topping the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2015.
Tina Dabi’s personal life has often drawn public attention alongside her professional career, largely because of her high-profile marriage and subsequent remarriage, partly due to her active social media presence.
After topping the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2015, Tina Dabi married Athar Aamir Khan, who had secured All India Rank 2 in the same examination.
Athar Aamir Khan is a Kashmiri Muslim IAS officer, and their marriage in 2018 attracted widespread media coverage across the country. The union was seen as symbolic by many, as it brought together two of the most talked-about civil servants of their batch.
However, the marriage did not last long.
After a few years, Tina Dabi and Athar Aamir Khan were officially divorced in 2021. Both maintained a dignified silence for the most part and did not publicly discuss the reasons behind their separation.
In 2022, Tina Dabi married Pradeep Gawande, a senior IAS officer from the Rajasthan cadre.
Pradeep Gawande is 13 years older than Tina Dabi and has served in several key administrative roles in the state, including positions related to urban development and social justice.
Their marriage was a private affair, attended by close family members and friends. The couple have a son.
Since her second marriage, Tina Dabi has continued to focus on her administrative responsibilities, maintaining a low public profile regarding her personal life.
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