New Delhi: The Central Government has assigned additional responsibilities to senior IAS officer V. Vidyavathi and senior media administrator Yogesh Kumar Baweja, ensuring continuity in key government departments and public broadcasting institutions during the temporary absence of incumbent officials.
While V. Vidyavathi has been entrusted with the additional charge of Secretary, Department of Social Justice & Empowerment, Yogesh Kumar Baweja has been assigned the additional responsibilities of Director General, Akashvani and Director General, Doordarshan during the leave period of senior Prasar Bharati official Rajeev Kumar Jain.
V. Vidyavathi Gets Additional Charge of Social Justice Secretary
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Tuesday issued an order stating that the Competent Authority has approved the assignment of the additional charge of Secretary, Department of Social Justice & Empowermentto V. Vidyavathi (IAS:1991:Karnataka).
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She will hold the additional charge from July 8, 2026, to July 25, 2026, during the period of absence from headquarters of Sudhanshu Pant (IAS:1991:Rajasthan), who is the regular Secretary of the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment.
Vidyavathi is presently serving as Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. The temporary arrangement is intended to ensure uninterrupted functioning of both departments.
Who is V. Vidyavathi?
Born on November 3, 1967, V. Vidyavathi belongs to the 1991 batch of the Karnataka cadre of the Indian Administrative Service.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree and has built a distinguished administrative career spanning over three decades.
Over the years, she has held several important positions in both the Karnataka Government and the Government of India, including:
- Secretary
- Officer on Special Duty (OSD)
- Director General
- Additional Secretary to the Chief Minister
- Joint Secretary to the Chief Minister
- Joint Secretary
- Director
- Deputy Secretary
- Chief Executive Officer
- Assistant Commissioner
She is proficient in English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu, and is widely regarded as an experienced administrator in social welfare and disability empowerment.
Yogesh Kumar Baweja Gets Additional Charge of DG, Akashvani and Doordarshan
In another important administrative arrangement, Yogesh Kumar Baweja, currently serving as the Press Registrar General of India (PRGI), has been entrusted with the additional charge of Director General, Akashvani and Director General, Doordarshan.
The order was issued by Prasar Bharati on July 3, 2026.
Baweja is already holding the additional charge of Director General (News), News Services Division (NSD), Akashvani. With the latest order, he will now simultaneously oversee the functioning of India’s two premier public broadcasters.
Charge During Rajeev Kumar Jain’s Leave
According to the Prasar Bharati office order, Baweja will discharge the duties of:
- Director General, Akashvani
- Director General, Doordarshan
from July 4, 2026, to August 9, 2026, during the ex-India leave of Rajeev Kumar Jain, Director General, News Services Division (NSD), Akashvani.
He will continue to perform these additional responsibilities alongside his existing assignments and will oversee the routine administrative and operational matters of both Akashvani and Doordarshan until Rajeev Kumar Jain resumes office.
Ensuring Administrative Continuity
Both appointments reflect the government’s practice of assigning additional charge to experienced senior officers whenever incumbent officials are away on leave or official assignments.
The temporary arrangements are aimed at ensuring uninterrupted functioning of key institutions dealing with social justice, disability empowerment, public broadcasting, and government communication.
