New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Dr Rajendra Prasad Khajuria, a distinguished 1991-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, as the new Director of the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehradun. Widely regarded as India’s premier training institution for Indian Forest Service officers selected through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the academy plays a crucial role in shaping the country’s future forest administrators.
Dr Khajuria formally assumed charge as Director on July 2, 2026, succeeding Smt Bharati, who retired from service on June 30, 2026. With more than 35 years of experience in forestry, environmental governance, policy formulation and academia, his appointment is expected to strengthen the academy’s role in preparing future IFS officers to address emerging environmental and climate challenges.
ACC Clears Appointment to Head India’s Premier Forest Academy
The appointment of Dr Khajuria was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). Before taking over as Director of IGNFA, he was serving as the Managing Director of the Andhra Pradesh Environment Management Corporation Ltd.
Located in Dehradun, the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy is the country’s apex institution responsible for the professional training of Indian Forest Service officers recruited through the UPSC. Besides induction training, the academy also conducts various mid-career and specialised training programmes for serving forest officers.
Upon assuming charge, Dr Khajuria interacted with faculty members and staff of the academy and reviewed the various academic and administrative activities being undertaken by the institution.
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Who is Dr Rajendra Prasad Khajuria?
Dr Rajendra Prasad Khajuria is a 1991-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer belonging to the Andhra Pradesh cadre. Originally from Jammu and Kashmir, he is widely respected for his contributions to forestry, environmental management, research and public policy.
Over the course of a career spanning more than three and a half decades, he has served in several important positions involving forest conservation, environmental governance, natural resource management and policy planning.
Apart from being a senior administrator, he is also an accomplished academician and researcher with several publications in reputed national and international journals.
Educational Qualifications
Dr Khajuria possesses an impressive academic background that combines science, management and environmental economics.
His qualifications include:
- Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Mathematics
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Forest Economics from the University of Toronto, Canada
His doctoral research in forest economics has significantly contributed to his expertise in balancing ecological conservation with sustainable economic development.
Distinguished Career in Forestry and Environmental Governance
Before joining IGNFA, Dr Khajuria served as the Managing Director of Andhra Pradesh Environment Management Corporation Ltd., where he was associated with several initiatives related to environmental conservation, sustainable development and policy implementation.
Throughout his career, he has handled a wide range of assignments involving:
- Forest management
- Biodiversity conservation
- Environmental governance
- Natural resource management
- Policy formulation
- Sustainable development
His extensive administrative experience has earned him recognition as one of the senior professionals in the Indian Forest Service.
Research and Academic Contributions
Alongside his administrative responsibilities, Dr Khajuria has remained actively engaged in academic research.
He has authored several research papers on forestry, environmental economics and related subjects, published in both national and international journals.
His combination of field experience, policy expertise and academic research is expected to enrich the training programmes conducted at IGNFA.
IGNFA: The Training Ground for Future IFS Officers
The Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), situated in Dehradun, serves as the apex training institution for Indian Forest Service officers.
The academy provides:
- Foundation and professional training for newly recruited IFS officers
- Mid-career training programmes
- Capacity-building courses
- Specialized forestry and environmental management programmes
- International collaborations in forestry education
The institution plays a key role in preparing officers to address challenges relating to climate change, biodiversity conservation, forest governance and sustainable management of natural resources.
Focus on ‘Amrit Kaal’ Vision
Following his appointment, Dr Khajuria indicated that the academy would continue aligning its training programmes with the objectives of ‘Amrit Kaal’, focusing on building future-ready forest officers capable of addressing evolving environmental and developmental challenges.
His leadership is expected to further strengthen IGNFA’s academic standards while promoting innovation, research and technology-driven forest governance.
With his extensive administrative experience, international academic exposure and research background, Dr Rajendra Prasad Khajuria is expected to play an important role in shaping the next generation of Indian Forest Service officers and strengthening India’s forest governance framework.
