LEH: Nearly two months after his transfer from Jammu and Kashmir to Lakshadweep, 2010-batch IAS officer Prasanna Ramaswamy has been removed as chairman of the governing body of the Looms of Ladakh Women Cooperative Ltd, amid an ongoing administrative examination of the cooperative’s registration and functioning.
Leh Deputy Commissioner Romil Singh Donk will now take charge as chairman in accordance with the cooperative’s Articles of Association, which provide for the deputy commissioner to serve as its ex-officio chairman, officials said.
The development comes against the backdrop of questions raised by the Ladakh Administration over the registration of the cooperative, Ramaswamy’s association with it, its subsequent receipt of financial assistance and its application relating to the Geographical Indication (GI) registration of Ladakh Pashmina Textiles.
The administration has referred the matter to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for examination and appropriate action over what officials have described as alleged irregularities and prima facie conflict-of-interest concerns. The allegations remain subject to examination.
Why Was Prasanna Ramaswamy Removed as Chairman?
Ramaswamy was serving as Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) as well as Deputy Commissioner, Leh, during 2015-2017, when the Looms of Ladakh Women Cooperative was registered in 2017.
According to officials, the registration documents list Ramaswamy and his wife, Abhilasha Bahuguna, as co-founder members of the society.
The administration has questioned whether Ramaswamy had obtained prior approval from the competent authority for his association with the cooperative. Officials said the departmental records examined so far do not contain the requisite approval or sanction, if any, for such an association.
The issue assumes significance because the cooperative’s Articles of Association provide for the Deputy Commissioner, Leh, to serve as its ex-officio chairman. Consequently, Ramaswamy also became chairman while he was serving as the Deputy Commissioner.
The present decision means that the office-holder designated under the cooperative’s Articles of Association will now assume the chairmanship, with the current Leh Deputy Commissioner, Romil Singh Donk, taking charge.
Ladakh Administration Refers Matter to MHA
The controversy had already reached the Centre before Ramaswamy’s removal as chairman.
On July 30, the Ladakh Administration brought the matter to the notice of the Ministry of Home Affairs, citing concerns that emerged from an examination of official records. The administration said the cooperative was registered when Ramaswamy was serving as Registrar of Cooperative Societies and that both he and his spouse were listed as co-founder members.
The administration also flagged the fact that the cooperative subsequently received financial support from government and non-government institutions, including assistance associated with Pashmina and wool development.
The matter has therefore been placed before the MHA for examination and appropriate action rather than being treated as a concluded finding against the officer or the cooperative.
Cooperative Rejects Allegations
The Looms of Ladakh Women Cooperative has rejected the allegations and defended its functioning.
In its response, the cooperative said it was established as a democratically governed, women-owned producer institution aimed at strengthening the Pashmina sector and enabling Pashmina herders and artisans to participate in higher-value activities.
It maintained that the organisation has functioned independently under elected management and under the oversight of statutory authorities.
On Ramaswamy’s association with the cooperative, the organisation said he provided voluntary guidance during its establishment but never held an elected position. It further said that he completely dissociated himself from the cooperative’s affairs after its registration.
The cooperative also maintained that no adverse or conclusive finding had been recorded against it in relation to the issues raised by the Ladakh Administration.
The organisation has previously described itself as a women-owned producer institution designed to retain ownership and decision-making within local communities and said it has received support from NABARD and other development partners.
Ramaswamy and the Origins of Looms of Ladakh
The association between Ramaswamy and the cooperative dates back to its formative years.
A 2019 paper published in the Indian Journal of Public Administration, co-authored by Abhilasha Bahuguna and G. Prasanna Ramaswamy, described the development of the Looms of Ladakh Women Cooperative under Project Laktsal of the Leh district administration.
The paper said the initiative sought to empower rural Ladakhi women by providing skills to add value to raw Pashmina and wool, with the broader objective of building a sustainable value chain. It described efforts involving women from different villages and training in areas including knitting, weaving, production planning, marketing and financial management.
The cooperative’s own website currently identifies Ramaswamy as a co-founder and Abhilasha Bahuguna as a co-founder and strategist.
The cooperative has continued to describe its work as a farm-to-fashion initiative aimed at strengthening Ladakh’s luxury textile cottage industry and improving value addition for Pashmina, yak, sheep and other wool products.
Questions Over Financial Assistance and Grants
The latest administrative examination has also focused on the financial support received by the cooperative.
According to officials citing the records examined by the Ladakh Administration, the cooperative reported receiving grants, donations and contributions of:
- Rs 50.76 lakh during FY 2022-23
- Rs 71.34 lakh during FY 2023-24
- Rs 44.99 lakh during FY 2024-25
Together, these receipts amount to approximately Rs 1.67 crore over the three financial years.
Separately, documentary records cited by NABARD indicate that Rs 107.50 lakh, or more than Rs 1 crore, was sanctioned as grant assistance to the cooperative under a project titled “Strengthening and Broad-basing Pashmina and Wool Value Chain in Leh.”
According to officials, the project involved strengthening production and value-chain activities and envisaged the establishment of a 40,000-square-foot Work Studio and Training Centre at Chushul, Leh.
The administration has said that, with the current Deputy Commissioner now taking charge as chairman, the cooperative’s books of accounts and membership records can be examined in greater detail.
What Will the Further Examination Look At?
The preliminary examination has proposed verification of whether Ramaswamy or his spouse received any dividend or other financial benefit from the cooperative.
Officials said the membership records would also be examined to establish the bona fides of the persons listed as members.
The administration has also noted that the records currently available to it do not contain the requisite approval or sanction, if any, for Ramaswamy’s association with a society that subsequently sought grants, financial assistance and contributions.
Officials have consequently described the circumstances as raising a prima facie conflict-of-interest concern, particularly because the cooperative later received financial assistance from government and non-government institutions.
These are preliminary concerns arising from the examination of records and have not been presented as a final finding of wrongdoing.
Questions Over Ladakh Pashmina GI Application
The administration’s examination has also flagged the cooperative’s application concerning GI registration for Ladakh Pashmina Textiles.
According to officials, the original application indicated approval from the Director of Industries. However, the records examined during the preliminary review did not establish that such approval had actually been obtained.
The issue has consequently been brought to the attention of higher authorities for examination.
The cooperative has disputed the characterization of the issue. It said its application for “Ladakh Pashmina” in Classes 24 and 25 was initiated through the Ministry of Textiles with support from the Handloom Export Promotion Council.
It said the cooperative furnished the required affidavit and technical documents to the GI Registry and maintained that both the Industries Department, UT Ladakh, and the cooperative were subsequently recorded as registered proprietors/applicants.
The cooperative further said it never claimed that prior departmental approval had been obtained and that it has submitted a detailed response to the procedural issues raised by the Industries Department.
According to the cooperative, the matter remains under consideration and no adverse or conclusive finding has been recorded against it.
Transfer to Lakshadweep
The latest development comes nearly two months after Ramaswamy was transferred from Jammu and Kashmir to Lakshadweep.
Ramaswamy, a 2010-batch IAS officer, had been serving as Commissioner Secretary of the Tribal Affairs Department in the Jammu and Kashmir government since June 2024.
The Ministry of Home Affairs transferred him to Lakshadweep on August 12, 2026.
His removal as chairman of the cooperative now comes as the Ladakh Administration continues its examination of the cooperative’s registration, membership, funding and GI-related records.
Leh DC to Take Over as Chairman
With Romil Singh Donk taking charge, the cooperative will now be headed by the official designated as its ex-officio chairman under its Articles of Association.
The change is also expected to facilitate a closer examination of the cooperative’s records, including its books of accounts and membership details, according to officials.
At the same time, the cooperative has maintained that its activities have been lawful, that it has functioned through elected management and that no adverse or conclusive finding has been made against it.
The matter has been referred to the MHA, and further examination will determine whether the concerns raised by the Ladakh Administration result in any formal action.
For now, the removal of Ramaswamy as chairman represents an administrative change amid an ongoing examination rather than a final adjudication of the allegations concerning the cooperative or the officer.
About Him
Prasanna Ramaswamy G is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer belonging to the 2010 batch of the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories) cadre.
A native of Tamil Nadu born on February 27, 1987, he graduated with a B.Tech. in Bio-Technology from SASTRA University and earned an M.A. in Economics from Mumbai University.
After entering the civil services through Direct Recruitment via the UPSC Civil Services Examination and completing his training at LBSNAA in Mussoorie, he built a robust career spanning over 16 years, primarily taking on administrative roles in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Throughout his journey, he held key leadership positions, serving as Deputy Commissioner of Leh, Additional Secretary for Information Technology and Tourism, and Administrative Secretary for the Transport and Revenue Departments.
Up until August 2026, he served as the Commissioner/Secretary of the Tribal Affairs Department of Jammu & Kashmir, driving initiatives such as the Aadi Karmayogi Abhiyan.
In August 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an order transferring him to the Lakshadweep administration under the Super Time Scale (Pay Level 14).
Alongside this relocation, the Ladakh administration initiated an inquiry into registration processes and potential conflicts of interest from the early phase of the Looms of Ladakh Women Cooperative Ltd, resulting in his removal as its ex-officio governing chairman and the referral of the matter to the MHA.
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