Who is Oshin Sharma? Himachal SDM under spotlight after promoting products on social media

The social media craze has turned everyone into a star, but what happens to government officials' freedom when they enter influencer territory? While the world today is fast-forward with social media, young officers juggle duties with likes, shares, and viral posts. But these trends bring in questions like: where does official responsibility end and personal promotion begin?

Recently, Oshin Sharma, a 32-year-old SDM in Himachal Pradesh, came into the limelight amid the promotion of supplements while managing her official duties simultaneously.

Who is Oshin Sharma?

A popular civil servant in Himachal Pradesh has gone off the grid online after facing flak for product promotion on her social media handle. Shimla's urban SDM, Oshin Sharma, a 2020-batch HPAS officer, deactivated her accounts across platforms on Saturday. This came after warnings from bosses over videos showing supplements and jewellery, according to an Indian Express report.

Sharma, who has over 9 lakh followers, including 3.74 lakh on Instagram, 3.71 lakh on Facebook, 1 lakh+ on X, and 65,000 YouTube subscribers, shared an unboxing clip of nutritional supplements and protein bars aimed at fitness fans. Online backlash exploded, with users questioning how a salaried government worker could promote private goods. Comments mentioned Civil Services Conduct Rules 15(1), which bars officials from any trade or business without approval.

Sharma deactivated her social media accounts

A senior official, speaking anonymously, revealed that a notice was issued to Sharma. But she pushed back: “I deactivated my social media accounts as my seniors conveyed to me to take down some of the content, which somehow falls in the category of promotion of private brands. I have deactivated my social media accounts for the time being. No notice has been served to me,” Sharma told The Indian Express.

The issue reached Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta via media reports and complaints. Gupta directed Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap to investigate. “The chief secretary directed Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap to look into this matter. Kashyap in turn asked Sharma not to engage in any such activity in the future,” said a source privy to the talks, as per The Indian Express report.

Sharma owned up to the posts, explaining, “I didn’t have the intention to promote these products in any way, especially commercially. I deactivated my accounts as my seniors said that some of the posts were not in the public interest.”

This isn't her first brush with trouble. In September 2024, as Sandhol tehsildar in Mandi, she was transferred without a posting amid claims of neglecting work for social media.