New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Wednesday approved the appointment of three senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers to important positions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). The appointments are aimed at strengthening forest governance, conservation administration, research, and institutional leadership across the country.
The officers appointed are Suman Mohapatra (IFS:1995:AM), Sandeep Kujur (IFS:1995:AGMUT), and N C Saravanan (IFS:2002:AGMUT), all of whom bring extensive administrative and field-level experience in forestry management and environmental governance.
Suman Mohapatra Appointed DDGF, Regional Office, Bhubaneswar
Suman Mohapatra (IFS:1995:AM) has been appointed as Deputy Director General of Forests (DDGF), Regional Office, Bhubaneswar.
A senior Indian Forest Service officer of the 1995 batch from the Assam-Meghalaya (AM) cadre, Mohapatra has built a distinguished career marked by extensive administrative and conservation-oriented responsibilities in the North Eastern region as well as at the central level.
Over the years, he has held several significant assignments, including serving as Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF). He also held the charge of Council Head of Department (CHD) for Forests in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), where he played an important role in forest administration and ecological management.
Mohapatra has been closely associated with the implementation of various river training and natural resource management projects, particularly in environmentally sensitive regions. His expertise in forestry governance and conservation planning has frequently been utilised in senior advisory capacities. He has also served as Conservator of Forests and held responsibilities within the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
His appointment to the Bhubaneswar Regional Office is expected to further strengthen regional forest governance and environmental monitoring mechanisms under the ministry.
Sandeep Kujur Named DDGF, Regional Office, Dehradun
Sandeep Kujur (IFS:1995:AGMUT) has been appointed as Deputy Director General of Forests (DDGF), Regional Office, Dehradun.
A senior IFS officer of the 1995 batch belonging to the AGMUT cadre (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territories), Kujur has spent a substantial part of his career serving in Jammu & Kashmir and has handled several critical administrative and operational assignments in the forest department.
Born on August 20, 1969, Kujur was promoted to the prestigious rank of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) in April 2026. Prior to this elevation, he served as Director of the Forest Protection Force (FPF) in Jammu & Kashmir and also held the post of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF).
During his tenure in J&K, he played a major role in strengthening forest conservation mechanisms, supervising field operations, and enhancing administrative efficiency within the forest department. He has been actively involved in monitoring forest protection initiatives and improving institutional coordination in ecologically sensitive areas.
His appointment as DDGF in Dehradun is seen as significant considering the strategic importance of the region in forest research, Himalayan ecology, and conservation management.
N C Saravanan Appointed Additional Director at IGNFA, Dehradun
N C Saravanan (IFS:2002:AGMUT) has been appointed as Additional Director at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehradun.
An Indian Forest Service officer of the 2002 batch from the AGMUT cadre, Saravanan is currently promoted to the grade of Chief Conservator of Forests and is widely recognised for his contributions in forestry education, research, and institutional administration.
He has considerable experience in academic and administrative roles under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Notably, he served as Additional Professor at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun, where his deputation tenure was extended multiple times in recognition of his contributions to forestry training, research, and capacity-building programmes.
Saravanan also previously served on deputation at the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), where he contributed to national-level forestry management frameworks, policy implementation, and research coordination.
His appointment as Additional Director at IGNFA is expected to further strengthen the academy’s role in advanced forestry training and leadership development for Indian Forest Service officers.
Key Appointments Reflect Focus on Conservation and Institutional Strengthening
The appointments of the three senior officers come at a time when the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is focusing on strengthening forest conservation systems, institutional capacity, biodiversity protection, and climate-linked environmental governance.
With extensive experience in field administration, conservation policy, training, and institutional leadership, the newly appointed officers are expected to play crucial roles in advancing the ministry’s priorities across regional and national levels.
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