YASH KHAJURIA
LEH: In a major administrative reshuffle, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has appointed senior IAS officer Ashish Kundra as the next Chief Secretary of Ladakh. He will take charge from January 1, or upon assumption of office, succeeding Pawan Kotwal, who is set to retire on December 31.
Kundra is a 1996-batch IAS officer of the Arunachal–Goa–Mizoram–Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre and is currently serving as Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. His transfer is part of regular cadre rotations aimed at ensuring administrative continuity across Union Territories.
Aged 52, and holding a BTech in electronics engineering, Kundra brings extensive experience in public governance, particularly in regions with difficult terrain. He has served multiple tenures in the Northeast, including in Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, where he handled key portfolios such as finance, planning, and higher education. In Delhi, he has overseen critical sectors including transport and general administration, contributing to policy making in a complex urban environment.
Kundra’s appointment comes at a time when Ladakh is focusing on infrastructure expansion, border-area consolidation, and ecological preservation across the trans-Himalayan region. His experience in development planning in hilly and remote areas, also reflected in his 2023 publication, “A Resurgent Northeast: Narratives of Change,” is expected to support Ladakh’s ongoing efforts toward sustainable resource management and community engagement.
Outgoing Chief Secretary Pawan Kotwal, who took charge in 2021, has led the Union Territory through critical phases of post-bifurcation stabilization — including local body elections earlier this year and advancements in renewable energy initiatives tailored to the region’s sparse grid connectivity. Under his stewardship, the Union Territory administration secured sanction for a 10,000 MW solar power plant to advance carbon-neutral goals, generating employment and bolstering the local economy. He also prioritized health infrastructure by establishing a new medical college in Leh, filling vacancies for doctors and medical officers at hospitals under the National Health Mission, and enhancing education through the creation of gazetted posts.
Kotwal drove tourism promotion via home stay schemes, oversaw construction of strategic tunnels and roads, and protected fragile ecosystems through compensatory afforestation efforts, including nursery development and geo-tagging of solar water heaters. Additionally, he streamlined governance by aligning systems with national standards, fostering digital transformation via e-office implementation, and boosting financial inclusion by achieving 39 percent of the annual priority sector credit target with disbursals exceeding ₹3,447.5 crore in the first quarter of 2025.
Among Kundra’s initial responsibilities will be preparations for the 2026–27 budget cycle and enhanced coordination with the Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil to ensure equitable implementation of development projects. His posting also coincides with a broader cadre review by the Department of Personnel and Training, aligned with evolving administrative requirements following Kotwal’s superannuation.
Officials in Leh anticipate that Kundra’s arrival will inject renewed momentum into strategic priorities, particularly the strengthening of border and rural road networks, as well as tourism infrastructure, which are considered key drivers of Ladakh’s long-term economic roadmap.
“Dr Kotwal has laid a strong administrative foundation during a crucial transition phase,” said an official, noting that the outgoing Chief Secretary’s initiatives in renewable energy and governance stability have set the stage for continued progress. “We are confident that Mr. Kundra will build on this momentum and further accelerate development on the ground,” the official added.
