New Delhi: In a significant administrative reshuffle, senior IAS officer Ashish Kundra (IAS:1996:AGMUT) has been transferred from Delhi and appointed as the new Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued the transfer order on Thursday, stating that Kundra’s appointment will take effect from January 1, 2026, or from the date he assumes charge, whichever is later.
Mr Kundra will succeed Dr. Pawan Kotwal (IAS:1994:AGMUT), who became the first Chief Secretary of Ladakh in February 2025 after the post of Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor was redesignated. Dr. Kotwal is set to retire on December 31, 2025.
Over the last twenty-six years, he has served in various leadership roles in the governments of Chandigarh, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Daman, Dadra Nagar Haveli and New Delhi.
Administrative Transition Amid Ladakh’s Developmental Expansion
Currently serving as Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Ashish Kundra’s transfer marks a key administrative transition for the Union Territory. The move comes at a time when Ladakh is undergoing significant administrative restructuring and expansion of developmental projects.
The MHA’s Union Territory Division, through Director (S) Anish Muraleedharan, approved the decision, which has been communicated to the Chief Secretaries of all Union Territories and several states under the AGMUT cadre, including Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Goa, Puducherry, and Chandigarh. Advisors to the Administrators of DNH&DD and Lakshadweep have also been notified.
About Ashish Kundra
Ashish Kundra, born on March 6, 1973, is a 1996-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre. A graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) with a B.Tech in Electronics, he has served in a variety of administrative roles across multiple Union Territories and states.
Current Role: Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor, GNCTD, Delhi
Past Roles:
- Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Mizoram
- Principal Secretary cum Commissioner, Transport Department, Delhi
- Commissioner, Finance Planning & Investment, Arunachal Pradesh
- Administrator of Daman, Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli
Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary roles in central ministries and Delhi government
He has also worked with the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry as his Private Secretary.
Mr Kundra is also an author, having published the book “A Resurgent Northeast” through Harper Collins, reflecting his interests in governance and regional development. He served in the Northeast for eight years, which was the source of inspiration for this book.
On LinkedIn, he describes himself as “an accidental civil servant” with a passion for frontier regions and urban mobility initiatives.
A Technocrat With Diverse Experience
Throughout his career, Kundra has demonstrated expertise in governance, policy formulation, strategic planning, and change management. He has held key positions that involved urban transport planning, administration of Union Territories, electoral oversight, and developmental initiatives, showcasing his versatility as a top bureaucrat.
With his appointment as Chief Secretary of Ladakh, Kundra is expected to guide the Union Territory’s administration through a period of growth, leveraging his extensive experience in both developmental projects and policy implementation.
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