New Delhi: Saravanan PK, a 2016-batch Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes) officer, has been granted proforma promotion in the grade of Joint Commissioner with effect from June 19, 2026.
Saravanan PK is currently serving on central deputation as Deputy Secretary at the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA), New Delhi.
His proforma promotion to the Joint Commissioner grade comes as he continues his central deputation assignment, where he is involved in regulatory and administrative responsibilities related to India’s warehousing sector.
Saravanan PK Gets Proforma Promotion
The latest order grants Saravanan PK proforma promotion to the grade of Joint Commissioner with effect from June 19, 2026.
A proforma promotion allows an officer serving on deputation or in another assignment to receive the benefit of promotion in the parent service under applicable service rules, even though the officer may not immediately assume the corresponding higher post in the parent organisation.
Saravanan is a member of the 2016 batch of the IRS (Customs & Indirect Taxes) and has built his career primarily across taxation, customs administration, risk management, intelligence and regulatory functions.
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Currently Serving as Deputy Secretary at WDRA
Saravanan PK is presently on central deputation at the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) in New Delhi.
He was appointed Deputy Secretary at WDRA under the Central Staffing Scheme for a tenure of four years.
The authority functions under the Department of Food and Public Distribution, and his experience in revenue administration, compliance and regulatory oversight is relevant to his current assignment.
His move to WDRA marked a transition from specialised customs and taxation responsibilities to a broader regulatory role in the warehousing sector.
Educational Background
Before joining the civil services, Saravanan completed his undergraduate studies in Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering from the College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University, Chennai.
He studied at the institution between 2009 and 2013.
During his college years, he also briefly worked as a trainee press correspondent with the Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan, giving him early exposure to journalism and communication alongside his engineering education.
Began Career in Tamil Nadu CGST and Central Excise
Saravanan began his IRS career in December 2016 as an Assistant Commissioner.
From December 2016 to December 2020, he served in Tamil Nadu under the CGST and Central Excise formations of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
The assignment provided him with experience in indirect taxation and field-level revenue administration.
Served in Chennai Customs
Saravanan subsequently served as a Deputy Commissioner from January 2021 to April 2025.
During this period, he worked under the Chennai Customs Zone, handling a range of specialised customs and enforcement responsibilities.
His areas of work included risk management, asset assessment, export promotion, preventive operations and anti-smuggling activities.
He was also associated with the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU), where he dealt with intelligence-related matters involving unaccompanied baggage.
The experience gave him exposure to both revenue collection and enforcement functions within the customs administration.
Deputy Director at National Customs Targeting Centre-Pax
In April 2025, Saravanan moved to New Delhi and took up the position of Deputy Director at the National Customs Targeting Centre-Pax.
The centre functions under the Directorate General of Analytics and Risk Management (DGARM).
He served in this role until April 2026, gaining further experience in customs intelligence, data-driven risk assessment and targeting mechanisms.
The assignment represented another specialised phase of his career in customs administration.
Move to WDRA on Central Deputation
In May 2026, Saravanan began his present central deputation assignment as Deputy Secretary at WDRA.
He was selected for the position under the Central Staffing Scheme for a tenure of four years.
At WDRA, he brings his experience in taxation, compliance, enforcement and regulatory administration to the warehousing sector.
The move also broadened his administrative experience beyond the traditional customs and indirect-taxation domain.
Career Progression at a Glance
- Service: Indian Revenue Service — Customs & Indirect Taxes
- Batch: 2016
- Employee ID: 8484
- December 2016–December 2020: Assistant Commissioner, CGST & Central Excise, Tamil Nadu
- January 2021–April 2025: Deputy Commissioner, Chennai Customs Zone
- April 2025–April 2026: Deputy Director, National Customs Targeting Centre-Pax, DGARM, New Delhi
- May 2026 onwards: Deputy Secretary, WDRA, New Delhi, on central deputation
- June 19, 2026: Granted proforma promotion to the grade of Joint Commissioner
Promotion Effective From June 19, 2026
The latest development marks another step in Saravanan PK’s career progression within the IRS (Customs & Indirect Taxes).
Despite being on central deputation at WDRA, he has now received the benefit of promotion to the Joint Commissioner grade on a proforma basis, with the promotion taking effect from June 19, 2026.
His career so far has included assignments across CGST and Central Excise, Chennai Customs, customs intelligence and risk management, and central government regulatory administration, giving him experience across several important areas of revenue and public administration.
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