Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, currently serving as Secretary in the Ministry of AYUSH, has received a one-year contract extension, marking his third extension in this role. The decision was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, effectively prolonging his tenure beyond the initial end date of June 28, 2024.
Kotecha initially joined the Ministry of AYUSH as Special Secretary in June 2017 under a three-year contract. Shortly thereafter, in October 2017, he assumed the position of Secretary of AYUSH. His tenure has been marked by two previous extensions, the first in May 2020 for two years, and the second in 2022, also for two years.