New Delhi: Retired IAS officer and former Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane (IAS:1988:AP) has been appointed Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Unitech Limited for a fixed tenure of two years with effect from August 25, 2026.
The appointment follows the Supreme Court‘s order dated August 17, 2026, and a subsequent order issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) on August 19, 2026.
Aramane’s appointment comes as part of the restructuring of the management of Unitech Limited, the real estate company whose affairs are being monitored by the Supreme Court.
Aramane Replaces Retired IAS Officer Yudhvir Singh Malik
Aramane takes over as CMD following the completion of the tenure of Yudhvir Singh Malik (Retd. IAS:1983:HY).
Malik’s tenure as CMD of Unitech ended on July 20, 2026.
The appointment of Aramane is for a fixed period of two years, beginning August 25, 2026, in accordance with the directions and subsequent corporate affairs ministry order.
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Who Is Giridhar Aramane?
Giridhar Aramane is a 1988-batch IAS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre who served in several senior positions at both the Centre and in the state government during a career spanning more than three decades.
He served as Defence Secretary of India from November 1, 2022, until his retirement on October 31, 2024.
Before becoming Defence Secretary, Aramane held several significant positions involving infrastructure, petroleum, finance, administration and policy formulation.
Giridhar Aramane’s Education
Aramane has a strong technical and economic education background.
He holds a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU), Hyderabad, followed by an M.Tech from IIT Madras.
He also holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Kakatiya University, Warangal, along with a postgraduate qualification in Industrial Management.
His academic background in engineering and economics complemented his extensive experience in infrastructure, public finance and government administration.
Served as Defence Secretary From 2022 to 2024
One of Aramane’s most prominent assignments was as Defence Secretary, where he headed the Department of Defence under the Ministry of Defence.
During his tenure, he was associated with key areas of defence modernisation, military integration and the government’s push for indigenous defence production and Aatmanirbharta.
He retired from government service in October 2024 after serving as Defence Secretary.
Key Central Government Assignments
Before becoming Defence Secretary, Aramane served as Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH).
He assumed charge of the ministry in 2020 and was involved in overseeing the country’s major highway and infrastructure programmes.
He had also served as Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, handling important matters relating to Cabinet affairs and policy coordination.
His other central government assignments included work with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, where he was associated with the Exploration Division, and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), where he served as Executive Director in charge of inspections.
Experience in Andhra Pradesh Government
Aramane also held several important assignments in the Andhra Pradesh government during his career.
His state-level responsibilities included serving as Secretary, Finance Department, and Managing Director of the Andhra Pradesh State Financial Corporation (APSFC).
Earlier in his career, he served in field and district-level administrative positions, including as District Collector and Magistrate and Project Director.
He also served as Principal Secretary in the state government.
Post-Retirement Corporate Roles
After retiring from the IAS, Aramane continued to remain associated with corporate governance and institutional responsibilities.
He joined the board of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) as a Non-Executive Director in May 2025.
He subsequently joined Cyient DLM as a Non-Executive Independent Director in November 2025.
His post-retirement assignments have added corporate governance and private-sector board experience to his long administrative career.
New Role at Unitech
Aramane’s appointment as CMD places him at the helm of Unitech Limited at a significant stage in the company’s restructuring.
The appointment follows the Supreme Court’s directions and the subsequent Ministry of Corporate Affairs order and gives the former Defence Secretary a two-year fixed tenure beginning August 25, 2026.
With his experience in senior government administration, infrastructure, finance and institutional management, Aramane will now oversee the company’s affairs in his new role as Chairman and Managing Director.
