Sukhbir Singh Sandhu IAS Biography: DOB, Age, Batch, Cadre, Postings and Career

Sukhbir Singh Sandhu IAS Biography: Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu is a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Uttarakhand cadre. He has served as the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand, Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Secretary to the Lokpal. In March 2024, he was appointed as an Election Commissioner of India.

Sandhu was born on 6 July 1963. He joined the IAS in 1988 and was allotted the Uttarakhand cadre. Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu is a senior civil servant whose career spans more than three decades in public administration.

Sukhbir Singh Sandhu IAS: Key Details

Sukhbir Singh Sandhu Date of Birth and Education

Sukhbir Singh Sandhu was born on 6 July 1963. He belongs to the 1988 batch of the Indian Administrative Service and is from the Uttarakhand cadre.

He entered the IAS after clearing the Civil Services Examination and subsequently held several senior administrative positions at the district, state and Central Government levels before becoming Chairman of NHAI in October 2019.

Sandhu completed his MBBS from Government Medical College, Amritsar. He later completed a Master’s degree in History from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. He also holds a degree in Law.

Sukhbir Singh Sandhu IAS Career

Sandhu joined the Indian Administrative Service in the 1988 batch and was allotted the Uttarakhand cadre. During his long administrative career, he worked in different departments and held assignments in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and the Central Government.

Among his major positions were District Magistrate/Collector, Principal Secretary to Chief Ministers, Commissioner of Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, Managing Director of the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board, Additional Secretary in the Central Government, Chairman of NHAI and Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand.

After retiring from regular IAS service, he continued in senior public positions, first as Secretary to the Lokpal and later as Election Commissioner of India.

Sukhbir Singh Sandhu: Major Positions

• 1988: Joined IAS, Uttarakhand cadre
• District Magistrate/Collector: Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Gautam Budh Nagar
• Principal Secretary: Chief Ministers
• Commissioner: Ludhiana Municipal Corporation
• Managing Director: Punjab Infrastructure Development Board
• Additional Secretary: Department of Higher Education, Government of India
• Chairman: National Highways Authority of India
• Chief Secretary: Uttarakhand
• Secretary: Lokpal of India
• Election Commissioner: Election Commission of India

Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand

Sandhu was appointed Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand in July 2021. He succeeded Om Prakash in the post. He took charge as Chief Secretary in July 2021 and continued in the position until January 2024.

During his tenure, Sandhu was the senior-most bureaucrat in the Uttarakhand government. He was succeeded by Radha Raturi, who became Uttarakhand’s first woman Chief Secretary.

Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as NHAI Chairman

Before becoming Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand, Sandhu served as Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

He took charge as NHAI Chairman on 28 October 2019. He held the position until 2021, before returning to Uttarakhand as Chief Secretary.

Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as Secretary to Lokpal

After completing his tenure as Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand, Sandhu was appointed Secretary to the Lokpal of India in February 2024.

His tenure at the Lokpal was brief. Within the following month, he was appointed to the Election Commission of India.

Sukhbir Singh Sandhu Appointed Election Commissioner

On 14 March 2024, the President appointed Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as an Election Commissioner of India. He was appointed along with Gyanesh Kumar. Sandhu assumed charge as Election Commissioner on 15 March 2024.

His appointment came shortly before the 2024 Lok Sabha election process. As an Election Commissioner, Sandhu is part of the three-member Election Commission headed by the Chief Election Commissioner and is involved in the constitutional responsibility of conducting elections in India.

Other Interests and Work

The Election Commission’s official profile states that Sandhu has been a hockey player and has an interest in trekking and mountaineering.

The profile also says he has climbed Black Peak in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, at an altitude of about 22,000 feet.

He has also published papers relating to urban reforms and municipal management and capacity building and was invited to speak on the subject of “De-stressing Indian Cities” at Harvard Business School in Boston.

Sukhbir Singh Sandhu IAS Posting Timeline

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