Dehradun: In a landmark moment for India’s forestry administration, Mrs. Bharati, a 1992-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer from the Sikkim cadre, has been appointed as the Director of the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehradun. She assumed office on October 1, succeeding Dr. Jagmohan Sharma, who retired a day earlier.
This appointment marks a historic milestone, as Mrs. Bharati becomes the first woman ever to lead IGNFA in its 38-year history as a premier training institution for Indian Forest Service officers.
IGNFA Welcomes Bharati: “History Made Today”
Confirming her appointment, the Academy said in a statement –
“History made today at IGNFA! We proudly welcome Mrs. Bharati, IFS (1992, Sikkim cadre), as our new Director — the first woman to lead the Academy. A former faculty member in the early 2000s, she returns to guide future leaders. A proud and inspiring moment for us all!”
Trailblazing Career and Experience
Currently serving as Principal Secretary (Development and Coordination), Government of Sikkim, Mrs. Bharati brings with her decades of leadership in forest administration, policy-making, and cadre management. She has held several key positions, including:
Inspector General of Forests, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)
Faculty Member at IGNFA in the early 2000s
Leadership roles in forest protection and sustainability at the national level
While serving as IGF at MoEF&CC, she led critical reforms in cadre management, enhancing transparency, efficiency, and governance within the IFS framework.
Her appointment to IGF was itself notable — it involved the upgrading and transfer of a DIGF post from the Ministry of Rural Development to MoEF&CC, underscoring the government’s recognition of her capabilities.
Back to IGNFA – Now as Director
Mrs. Bharati’s return to IGNFA — where she once served as a faculty member — is seen as a full-circle moment, bringing a wealth of field and policy-level experience to the Academy. Her leadership is expected to usher in a new phase of progressive training, gender inclusivity, and visionary governance in forestry education.
IGNFA, originally established as the Indian Forest College in 1938 during the British era, was renamed in 1987. It functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and is responsible for the training and grooming of IFS probationers and senior officers.
IGNFA
All Four Top Forestry Institutions Now Led by Women
Mrs. Bharati’s appointment marks a significant symbolic and administrative milestone — for the first time in India’s history, all four major central forestry institutions are now led by women officers:
- Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) – Mrs. Bharati
- Forest Research Institute (FRI)
- Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)
- Directorate of Forest Education (DFE)
This shift represents a paradigm change in the leadership landscape of Indian forestry, reinforcing the growing role of women in senior government positions and policy-making.
A Vision for the Future
With IGNFA entering a new chapter under Mrs. Bharati’s leadership, the Academy is poised to strengthen its mission of building capable, environmentally conscious, and policy-savvy forest officers for India.
Her experience in forest governance, climate policy, administrative reform, and training will likely lead to enhanced training modules, deeper institutional partnerships, and an inclusive leadership ethos.
