The central government on Monday (23.10.2023) granted approval for the voluntary retirement of VK Pandian (IAS:2000:OD), an Odisha cadre IAS officer who currently holds the position of Private Secretary to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The Department of Personnel and Training has transmitted an official communication to the additional chief secretary of Odisha’s general administration department regarding this decision.
“In reference to letter No.GAD-SER1-PERS-0100-2014 dated 20.10.2023 from Government of Odisha on the above mentioned subject, I am directed to convey the approval of the competent authority for acceptance of voluntary retirement of Shri V Kartikeya Pandian, IAS(OD-2000) under Rule 16(2A) of All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement benefits) Rules, 1958 with waiver of the notice period as recommended by the State Government,” reads the Centre’s letter.
Pandian, who has been serving in his current capacity since 2011 and wields significant influence within the political landscape of Odisha, recently gained public attention due to his extensive travels to various districts within the state utilizing a government helicopter. Both the opposition parties, the BJP and Congress, have criticized Pandian, a native of Tamil Nadu, for alleged violations of service conditions.
REC Limited has achieved a significant milestone by securing a coveted position in the esteemed Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Global Standard Index, effective from September 1, 2023,
A recent report by Nuvama Alternative & Quantitative Research underlined REC’s strong potential as a contender for the November 2023 review. Projections from Nuvama Alternative & Quantitative Research suggest that REC could witness inflows of approximately $184 Million.
The inclusion of REC in the MSCI index solidifies its standing as a key player in the financial sector and the broader market. This achievement not only expands REC’s global reach but also highlights its remarkable influence and reputation on an international scale.
It is noteworthy that the value of REC’s stock has more than doubled over the past year, surging from Rs 100.20 on August 10, 2022, to Rs 216.65 on August 10, 2023.
The MSCI Global Standard Index, crafted by MSCI Inc., comprises a series of international equity indexes widely employed by investors, fund managers, and financial experts to gauge the performance of global equity markets.
The MSCI Global Standard Index is a comprehensive collection of international equity indexes developed by MSCI Inc. These indexes serve as a prominent benchmark utilized by investors, fund managers, and financial experts for assessing and gauging the performance of global equity markets.
The Union government on Sunday notified the appointment of new Chief Justices in six High Courts. The Ministry of Law and Justice notified the appointment of six high courts namely Delhi, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Gauhati.
Following judges have been appointed as Chief Justices of 6 different high courts:
Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, Chief Justice of Telangana High Court, has been transferred to Delhi High Court as Chief Justice.
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of the Telangana High Court has been elevated as the Chief Justice of Telangana High Court.
Justice Amjad Ahtesham Sayed of Bombay High Court has been appointed as Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court.
Justice Vipin Sanghi, Acting Chief Justice of Delhi High Court has been appointed as Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court.
Justice Shinde Sambhaji Shiwaji of Bombay High Court has been appointed as Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court.
Justice Rashmin Manharbhai Chhaya of Gujarat High Court has been appointed as Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court.
Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government on Saturday (October 24, 2026) ordered the transfer and posting of four IAS officers with immediate effect. Notably, the reshuffle includes the appointment of new Deputy Commissioners in Lahaul and Spiti and Bilaspur districts.
The details of the officers and their new assignments are as follows:
Dr Yunus (IAS:2010:HP), Secretary (State Taxes and Excise), has been given the additional charge of Secretary (General Administration Department, SWD and Parliamentary Affairs).
Rahul Kumar (IAS:2016:HP), Deputy Commissioner, Bilaspur, has been transferred and posted as Managing Director, Himachal Road Transport Corporation, Shimla.
Nivedita Negi (IAS:2017:HP), Secretary, Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission, has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul and Spiti.
Kiran Bhadana (IAS:2017:HP), Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul and Spiti, has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Bilaspur.
New Delhi: In a significant development, the Centre on Saturday (October 24, 2026) approved a one-year extension for Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh (IAS:1989:KL), confirming the possibility of his continuation in the post, as reported by LegendOfficers on October 21.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the extension of Singh’s tenure beyond October 31, 2026, until October 31, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on October 24, the extension has been granted in relaxation of the provisions of Fundamental Rule 56(d) and Rule 16(1A) of the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958.
Singh took charge as Defence Secretary on November 1, 2024, a month before his scheduled retirement.
As LegendOfficers reported on October 21, speculation about his further extension was doing the rounds in bureaucratic circles, with several factors supporting the possibility of his continuation in the key position.
The report highlighted the structural and strategic changes undertaken by the Defence Ministry during Singh’s tenure, particularly the focus on indigenous defence manufacturing, technological absorption and export-driven self-reliance.
It also highlighted his role in the new Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2026, which links military modernisation with export ambitions, alongside the government’s target of achieving ₹50,000 crore in annual defence exports by 2030.
Another key factor discussed in the report was Singh’s additional responsibility as Secretary of the Department of Defence Research and Development and Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). His association with Mission Sudarshan Chakra, an ambitious initiative aimed at developing a comprehensive, multi-layered national air defence and offence network, was also highlighted.
The October 21 report also noted that the absence of a separate appointment to the DRDO chairmanship lent weight to the possibility of Singh’s extension.
The Centre’s decision has now confirmed his continuation as Defence Secretary for another year.
Bhopal: The process to appoint the next Director General of Police (DGP) of Madhya Pradesh has begun ahead of the retirement of incumbent Kailash Makwana (IPS:1989:MP) on November 30, 2026. The state government has reportedly prepared a list of 12 eligible IPS officers and sent it to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for consideration.
According to the gradation list, the three senior-most officers in contention are from the 1991 batch: Varun Kapoor, DG, Jail, Madhya Pradesh; Upendra Kumar Jain, DG, Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Bhopal; and Pragya Richa Srivastava, DG, Home Guard and State Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF).
According to sources, a high-level UPSC meeting is scheduled to take place in Delhi in the first week of November. The commission is expected to finalise a panel of three officers and send it to the Madhya Pradesh government, which will select the next police chief from among them.
Madhya Pradesh Could Get Its First Woman DGP
If the state government selects Pragya Richa Srivastava, she would become the first woman to head the Madhya Pradesh Police. However, her appointment is only one possibility, and the final decision has yet to be made.
Varun Kapoor and Upendra Kumar Jain are also highly competent officers with strong career records. The final choice will depend on whom the state government considers best suited to its priorities for leading the state police force.
The Telangana Integrated Command and Control Centre (TGICCC) located in Banjara Hills of Hyderabad on Friday witnessed a large convergence of DGPs and senior police officers from all southern states and Union Territories on the occasion of the Southern Regional Police Co-ordination Conference (SRPCC). The participants discussed how the intelligence department can handle Gen Z protests.
They also discussed the best practices adopted by them, shared knowledge and deliberated on prevailing problems and how to tackle them.
Those attending the conference included Telangana DGP CV Anand, Karnataka DGP M A Salim, Tamil Nadu DGP Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, Puducherry DGP Shalini Singh and Additional DGP and Head of Police Force (HoPF) of Lakshadweep Shankar Jaiswal. Besides, Ajitha Begum representing the Kerala DGP and IGP Ravi Krishna representing the Andhra Pradesh DGP also attended the conference.
Plus, top officers from central agencies including the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), National Investigation Agency (NIA), National Security Guard (NSG), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) also attended the event.
During the conference, the DGPs gave presentations on the best practices adopted in their respective states, sharing knowledge that can be implemented elsewhere if suitable.
Besides, officials also discussed narcotics and how to coordinate better to control this menace to make India a drug-free country by December 31, 2029.
Discussions also covered issues like ISI-sponsored terrorism, post-Maoist steps, how the intelligence department should handle Gen Z protests, cybercrime, organised crime in economic offences, human trafficking, and the operation of interstate gangs, alongside institutional mechanisms for improved coordination.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy inaugurated the event and stressed the need for policing to change and reforms to be continuous.
In a move that surprised those tracking the succession to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo (IAS:1989:AGMUT), the Centre on Saturday (October 24, 2026) appointed senior IAS officer Dr Sajjan Singh Yadav (IAS:1995:AGMUT) as the next Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir. While Yadav is regarded as a very competent officer with the Centre’s confidence, his name had not featured prominently among those being discussed as probable successors to Dulloo.
Yadav will replace Dulloo, who is due to retire on October 31, 2026. He will take charge as Chief Secretary with effect from November 1, 2026, or from the date he joins, whichever is later.
According to an order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Yadav has been transferred from Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir with the approval of the competent authority.
“With the approval of the Competent Authority, Dr. Sajjan Singh Yadav, IAS (AGMUT:1995) is hereby transferred from Delhi to Jammu & Kashmir and posted as Chief Secretary, Jammu & Kashmir w.e.f. 01.11.2026 or from the date of joining, whichever is later,” the order stated.
Seniority List Adds to the Surprise
What made Yadav’s appointment particularly unexpected for those following the succession was the contrast between his position in the IAS gradation list and the names that had figured in the run-up to the announcement.
According to the gradation list, Yadav was placed at the 20th position, including outgoing Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo. The officers ranked ahead of him included three IAS officers of the 1991 batch, five of the 1992 batch, five of the 1993 batch, four of the 1994 batch and one officer of the 1995 batch. Many of these officers are currently holding important assignments, and the government may have taken their existing responsibilities into account while deciding on the next Chief Secretary.
Among those whose names figured in the speculation was 1992-batch IAS officer Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner in Jammu and Kashmir, who was widely considered a frontrunner for the post. Yadav, by contrast, had not featured prominently in discussions about possible successors, making his selection an unexpected development for those tracking the appointment.
The element of surprise, therefore, lay primarily in Yadav’s emergence as the Centre’s choice when his name had not been widely discussed in advance. His appointment also underscores that, while seniority is an important consideration, the government’s choice for a key administrative position may take into account a wider range of factors.
Yadav Returned to AGMUT Cadre in June 2026
Yadav is currently serving as Additional Chief Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Delhi Jal Board in the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
In June 2026, Yadav was repatriated to his parent AGMUT cadre at the request of the Ministry of Home Affairs while serving as Special Secretary in the Department of Expenditure under the Union government. Following his return, he was appointed CEO of the Delhi Jal Board and entrusted with additional responsibilities as Additional Chief Secretary in other departments.
His appointment as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary now places him at the head of the Union Territory’s administration, succeeding Dulloo at the end of the latter’s tenure.
Ishita Rathi IAS Biography: Ishita Rathi is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 2022 batch, allotted to the AGMUT cadre. She secured All India Rank (AIR) 8 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2021.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, and a master’s degree in Economics from the Madras School of Economics. She was serving as Sub Collector (Revenue), North, Puducherry, before being relieved for a new assignment in Jammu and Kashmir in September 2026.
In October 2026, the Jammu and Kashmir administration posted her as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu. The official Jammu district website lists her as Additional District Magistrate, Jammu.
Ishita Rathi completed her graduation in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, and her master’s degree in Economics from the Madras School of Economics in Chennai. She cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2021 with AIR 8 and entered the IAS through direct recruitment.
In interviews published after the UPSC result, Rathi said she prepared primarily through online study material and did not take coaching. The 2021 examination was her third attempt.
Selected for the IAS through the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2021 and allotted the AGMUT cadre.
21 October 2024
Took charge as Sub Collector (Revenue), North, Puducherry
7 October 2026
Posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu
October 2026
Posted as Additional District Magistrate, Jammu
Family and Personal Background
Ishita Rathi is from Delhi. Her father, I. S. Rathi, is a head constable in Delhi Police, and her mother, Meenakshi Rathi, is an assistant sub-inspector in Delhi Police.
Her exact date of birth has not been included because it could not be independently confirmed from an accessible official record.
Seeing one’s child becoming an IAS officer is considered a lifetime achievement by a large number of Indian parents. But senior Maharashtra cadre IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe (IAS:2005:MH) does not think so. Rather, this Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner says he is against his children joining the civil services.
Mundhe reportedly made this remark at the Global Maratha Business Expo, saying he would prefer his children to become entrepreneurs or public leaders who could contribute to society with greater independence.
Such an advice coming from a person, who was transferred 25 times in a career spanning over 21 years, is not unnatural. The reason is simple: his career took him across Maharashtra, from municipal administration to senior government departments resulting in his family being repeatedly compelled to adjust to new cities, schools and routines.
But it was his son who suffered the most as he had to change schools six times before reaching Class 5. Mundhe spoke about the effect of frequent transfers on his family, including his wife.
His experience offers a personal view of the costs that can accompany a career often associated with authority and elite lifestyle.
Mundhe’s reported advice does not mean a rejection of public service, instead, he wants his children to consider other ways of contributing to society, as he believes young people have the energy, knowledge and ability to explore careers beyond traditional structures. And in his view, entrepreneurship and public leadership can offer greater independence in pursuing ideas and solving problems.
Mundhe is not an ordinary bureaucrat, but has acquired a celebrity status owing to his ruthless campaign against unsafe food, adulteration and substandard products in Maharashtra, which now has a global audience.
His career has made him a familiar name in Maharashtra’s bureaucracy.
So, his reported remarks bear special significance as it offers a different perspective on the IAS dream. The moot point is if the professional choice of one person can shape the everyday lives of an entire family.
Aditya Kumar Singh IPS Profile: Aditya Kumar Singh is a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 2023 batch. He initially belonged to the Odisha cadre before being transferred to the Maharashtra cadre in October 2025. Born on 5 February 1996, he is a native of Delhi and joined the IPS on 1 August 2023.
His service record includes training at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy and service as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP Under Training) in Buldhana, Maharashtra. The President accepted his resignation from the Indian Police Service with immediate effect through a Ministry of Home Affairs notification dated 9 October 2026.
787 (as reported by secondary news coverage; not independently confirmed from the official result in this review)
Training Institution
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad
Reported Field Assignment
ASP (Under Training), Buldhana, Maharashtra
Current Service Status
Resignation accepted; no longer serving in the IPS
Education and UPSC Selection
Aditya Kumar Singh holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree, according to information compiled from the Ministry of Home Affairs’ IPS Civil List. He entered the Indian Police Service through the Civil Services Examination route and joined the service on 1 August 2023.
Cadre and Posting Record
Date
Administrative Record
1 August 2023
Joined the Indian Police Service as a 2023-batch officer, initially allotted to the Odisha cadre.
2023–2025
Underwent IPS training, including training at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.
16 October 2025
Ministry of Home Affairs notification recorded his inter-cadre transfer from Odisha to Maharashtra.
2026
Listed in secondary civil-list-based reporting as ASP (Under Training), Buldhana, Maharashtra.
9 October 2026
Ministry of Home Affairs notification announced acceptance of his resignation from the IPS with immediate effect.
New Delhi: The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has recommended Yatindra Mohan, Executive Director (PS-WR) at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), for appointment as the company’s next Chairman and Managing Director (CMD).
The recommendation was made at the PESB selection meeting held on October 23, 2026. His name will now be forwarded to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for approval.
Mohan is currently serving as Executive Director (PS-WR) at BHEL. If approved, he will succeed incumbent CMD K. Sadashiv Murthy, who is scheduled to retire on February 28, 2027.
Murthy has been heading the public sector engineering major since November 1, 2023.
A total of 8 candidates appeared before the PESB selection panel for the post. They were:
Vinod Jacob Sam, Executive Director, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).
Ramesh Kumar N, Chairman and Managing Director, HMT Limited, holding additional charge from BHEL.
Yatindra Mohan, Executive Director (PS-WR), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).
Nishit Babyloni, Executive Director, Transportation Business and Systems Group, Industry Sector, New Delhi, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).
Shivendra Nath, Chairman and Managing Director, Engineering Projects (India) Limited, New Delhi.
Daryaw Londhe, Executive Director, REC Limited.
Anish Sengupta, Executive Director (Projects), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
Chetan Prakash Jain, Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Friday (October 23, 2026) approved the entrustment of additional charge of four overseas posts in the Pancheswar Development Authority (PDA), Nepal, a joint venture between the governments of India and Nepal, to four officers under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
According to an order issued by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, the additional charge arrangements will remain in effect from October 1, 2026, to June 10, 2027, or until regular incumbents are appointed to the respective posts or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The four officers entrusted with the additional responsibilities are:
Sharad Chandra, Commissioner (FM), Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, has been assigned the additional charge of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PDA, a Level-15 post in the Pay Matrix.
Manoj Kumar-I, CWES, Director, Central Water Commission (CWC) Headquarters, New Delhi, has been assigned the additional charge of Executive Director (Administration), a Level-14 post.
Alok Paul Kalsi, CWES, Superintending Engineer, Central Water Commission, Gangtok, has been assigned the additional charge of Executive Director (Legal), a Level-14 post.
Kuldeep Kumar Singh, Senior Joint Commissioner (SPR), Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, has been assigned the additional charge of Executive Director (Environment), a Level-14 post.
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