(By-Z A Ansari) New Delhi, September 25, 2026 — A fresh set of senior appointments approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has placed several experienced officers in important positions across ministries handling finance, education, petroleum, rural development, steel and water resources.
The approvals, issued through the Secretariat of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, include changes involving Indian Administrative Service officers from multiple cadres, along with one Indian Economic Service officer.
Among the notable movements, Vipin Kumar, IAS (BH:1996), currently Chairman of the Airports Authority of India under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, has been appointed as Additional Secretary in the Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development.
In another key change, Srikanth Nagulapalli, IAS (AP:1998), Director General of Hydrocarbons in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, has been appointed as Additional Secretary in the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
The Steel Ministry will see Sarita Chauhan Chand, IAS (AGMUT:1999), take charge as Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser. She is currently Additional Secretary in the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
The Finance Ministry also features in the latest round of appointments, with Anand Singh, IAS (KL:2000), appointed as Additional Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs.
P. Hemalatha, IAS (KN:2000), Development Commissioner of the Cochin Special Economic Zone in the Department of Commerce, has been appointed as Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training. The appointment has been made by temporarily upgrading a vacant Joint Secretary post in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas will get a new Director General of Hydrocarbons. V. Ponnuraj, IAS (KN:2000), has been appointed to the role at the rank and pay of Additional Secretary to the Government of India. The appointment follows the movement of Srikanth Nagulapalli to the Department of Expenditure.
Piyush Singh, IAS (MH:2000), currently Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Power, has been appointed as Mission Director, National Water Mission, in the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti. The appointment carries the rank and pay of Additional Secretary to the Government of India.
In the education sector, Mandeep K. Bhandari, IAS (AGMUT:2001), presently in cadre, has been appointed as Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education under the Ministry of Education. The post has been temporarily upgraded to the rank and pay of Additional Secretary to the Government of India.
Ankita Mishra Bundela, IAS (AGMUT:2001), Additional Secretary in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has been appointed as Additional Secretary in the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. The appointment has been made by temporarily upgrading a vacant Joint Secretary post in the department.
The ACC has also approved the appointment of Manisha Sensarma, IES:1995, currently in cadre, as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. For this appointment, a vacant DS/Director-level post in the ministry has been temporarily upgraded to the Additional Secretary level.
The ACC has further approved that the period between completion of foreign assignment and assumption of charge in the respective ministry or department for Anand Singh and V. Ponnuraj will be treated as mandatory waiting in the Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
