Navi Mumbai: Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Gaurav Dayal (IAS:2004:UP) has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), Navi Mumbai. His appointment was formally cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), as per an official order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on October 11, 2025.
Mr Dayal, who was serving as Secretary to the Government of Uttar Pradesh in the Home and Vigilance Department, replaces Sanjay Sethi (IAS:1992:MH), who completed his five-year term in January 2024. Since then, the post was being handled as an additional charge by JNPA’s Deputy Chairman, Unmesh Wagh.
Second Successive Non-Maharashtra Cadre IAS Officer at Helm
The appointment of Gaurav Dayal marks the second recent instance of an IAS officer from outside the Maharashtra cadre being chosen to lead JNPA – India’s busiest state-owned container port. Historically, the Chairperson roles at JNPA and Mumbai Port Authority have been held by officers from the Maharashtra cadre. However, exceptions are becoming more common.
Previously, L Radhakrishnan from the Kerala cadre led JNPA between 2009 and 2013. More recently, M Angamuthu, an IAS officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, was appointed as Chairman of the Mumbai Port Authority.
A Distinguished Career in Public Administration
Born on July 27, 1979, Gaurav Dayal is an IAS officer from the 2004 batch of the Uttar Pradesh cadre. A graduate with a B.Sc. in Physics, Dayal is proficient in English and Hindi. Over the years, he has held several key positions in Uttar Pradesh’s state administration.
His vast experience includes serving as District Magistrate in multiple districts such as Ayodhya, Etah, Jaunpur, Muzaffarnagar, and Jhansi. He has also served as Divisional Commissioner in Chitrakoot, Aligarh, and Ayodhya divisions. In addition, he has held various responsibilities as Special Secretary across several departments within the state government.
His elevation to a strategic post at the national level is being seen as a recognition of his administrative acumen and successful tenure in multiple challenging roles in the state bureaucracy.
Five-Year Tenure at JNPA
As per the DoPT order, Dayal’s appointment to JNPA is at the Joint Secretary level and is for a period of five years from the date he assumes charge, or until further orders — whichever is earlier.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority is a critical hub in India’s maritime and logistics sector, and the appointment of a full-time Chairperson is expected to provide leadership stability and policy continuity after a prolonged vacancy.
