NEW DELHI: Senior Indian Information Service (IIS) officer Dhirendra K. Ojha will continue as the Principal Director General of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) after the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved his reappointment on a one-year contractual basis.
The decision ensures continuity at the top of the government’s principal media and public-information organisation, where Ojha has been serving as the Principal Spokesperson of the Government of India.
His fresh tenure will begin from October 1, 2026, immediately after his retirement, and will continue until September 30, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Mr Ojha, a 1990-batch IIS officer, had taken charge as Principal Director General of PIB in July 2024. He succeeded Sheyphali B. Sharan, who has since been appointed Director General of the Publications Division.
One-Year Post-Retirement Extension for Ojha
The ACC approved the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s proposal to reappoint Ojha as Principal Director General, PIB, on a contract basis for one year following his superannuation.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) order specifies that his reappointment will run from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The reappointment is subject to the general terms and conditions applicable to reappointed Central Government officers, with the relevant Recruitment Rules being kept in abeyance for the purpose.
The decision means Ojha will continue to occupy one of the most visible communication positions in the Union government, overseeing the dissemination of official information from ministries and departments and interacting with the media on government policies and initiatives.
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Who Is Dhirendra K. Ojha?
Mr Ojha is a senior career civil servant belonging to the 1990 batch of the Indian Information Service.
Over more than three decades, he has served in a wide range of communication, media, broadcasting, regulatory and public-information assignments.
His career has taken him from public broadcasting organisations such as Doordarshan and All India Radio to specialised media institutions, the Election Commission of India, the Registrar of Newspapers for India, the Central Bureau of Communications and finally the country’s premier government communication organisation, the PIB.
This varied experience has given Ojha exposure to both traditional and digital media, electoral communication, public awareness campaigns, media monitoring, government advertising and strategic public communication.
Took Charge as PIB Principal Director General in 2024
IIS Ojha assumed charge as Principal Director General of the Press Information Bureau in July 2024.
The position also made him the Principal Spokesperson of the Government of India, putting him at the centre of the government’s interaction with the national media.
The PIB functions as the principal public communication agency of the Union government. It disseminates information about government policies, programmes, initiatives and decisions and facilitates media interaction with ministries and departments.
As its head, Ojha oversees communication involving the Union government’s extensive ministerial and departmental structure.
From Central Bureau of Communications to PIB
Before taking over the PIB, Ojha served as Director General of the Central Bureau of Communications (CBC).
The CBC is the government’s principal organisation for multimedia publicity and public awareness campaigns. Its work includes communicating government welfare programmes and public initiatives through print, electronic, outdoor and digital media.
During his tenure as DG, Ojha dealt with advertising strategies, public-awareness campaigns and media advisory functions for government organisations.
His CBC experience consequently provided him with direct exposure to the planning and execution of large-scale government communication campaigns before he moved to the country’s top government media-information post.
Experience With the Election Commission of India
An important part of Ojha’s career has been his association with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
He served in senior capacities including Director and later Director General at the poll panel.
These assignments involved public communication and media-related responsibilities during elections, including voter-awareness initiatives, information campaigns and media coordination.
Working with the Election Commission also gave him experience in communicating with the public in an environment where information dissemination, accuracy and institutional communication assume particular importance.
Served as Press Registrar
Ojha has also served as the Press Registrar at the Office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI).
The RNI is responsible for statutory functions relating to the registration and regulation of newspapers and periodicals in India.
As Press Registrar, Ojha was involved with the regulatory and administrative framework governing the country’s print-publication sector.
His RNI tenure added another dimension to his career, taking him beyond government publicity into the regulatory administration of India’s print media ecosystem.
Additional Charge of Media Monitoring Institutions
While associated with the RNI, Ojha also held additional responsibilities connected with media monitoring.
He was given additional charge of the Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC) and the National Media Analytics Centre/New Media Wing (NMW).
These institutions are involved in monitoring and analysing content across electronic and digital media.
The assignments gave Ojha exposure to emerging media trends and the challenges associated with monitoring content across television, online platforms and other rapidly changing communication channels.
Experience With Doordarshan and All India Radio
Ojha’s career also includes assignments with India’s public broadcasting organisations.
He has served in different editorial and managerial capacities in Doordarshan and All India Radio (Akashvani).
These assignments provided him with hands-on experience of news production, broadcasting and public communication through India’s traditional electronic media networks.
His career has therefore covered the entire spectrum of government communication — from broadcasting and print regulation to digital media monitoring, government advertising and strategic communication.
International Media Experience in Dubai
Ojha has also worked outside India during his career.
He served as a Special Correspondent in Dubai, UAE, representing India’s public media establishment.
The overseas assignment provided him with exposure to international news and media operations and added an international dimension to his professional experience.
A Career Spanning Traditional and New Media
One of the defining features of Ojha’s career has been his movement across different phases of India’s media landscape.
His earlier assignments were rooted in Doordarshan, All India Radio and print-media administration, while later responsibilities brought him into electronic media monitoring, new media analytics, government advertising and digital communication.
His appointment as PIB chief consequently came after assignments covering virtually every major component of government information and communication.
As Principal Director General of PIB, these experiences converge in a role that requires coordination with ministries, interaction with journalists and dissemination of official government information across multiple platforms.
Pragya Paliwal Gaur Also Gets Personal Upgradation
The same ACC order that approved Ojha’s reappointment also approved a separate proposal concerning senior IIS officer Pragya Paliwal Gaur.
Under the order, a Director General-level post, corresponding to Selection Grade in Level 15 of the pay matrix, has been temporarily upgraded to the Principal Director General level, corresponding to the Apex Grade in Level 17, on a personal basis for Gaur.
The upgradation will take effect from the date she assumes charge and remain valid until her superannuation on July 31, 2027.
The two decisions represent significant senior-level changes in the government’s information and communication establishment.
Ojha to Continue as Government’s Principal Spokesperson
With the extension now approved, Ojha will continue to occupy the PIB’s top post through September 2027, unless the government issues further orders before then.
His continuation also ensures that the Centre’s principal communication organisation will remain under an officer who has already spent more than two years at its helm.
From the Election Commission and RNI to Doordarshan, All India Radio, EMMC, NMW, CBC and PIB, Ojha’s career has encompassed a broad range of public communication institutions.
His one-year post-retirement reappointment therefore extends the tenure of a senior IIS officer whose career has been closely associated with India’s evolving government communication architecture.
