In a landmark appointment, the West Bengal government on Wednesday named Nandini Chakravorty, a 1994-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, as the state's new chief secretary. This historic move makes her the first woman to ever hold the top bureaucratic post in Bengal.
A Historic Appointment and Major Reshuffle
Chakravorty succeeds Moj Pant, who retired on December 31. Her promotion to the pinnacle of the state's administration caps weeks of intense speculation within the corridors of the state secretariat, Nabanna, especially as the state heads into a crucial election year. The appointment orders were issued late on Wednesday.
In a significant career leap, Chakravorty's path to the chief secretary's chair involved superseding five batches and seven IAS officers senior to her. Prior to this, she was serving as the Home Secretary, a post she had held since December 31, 2023.
Filling the vacancy she leaves behind, the state government appointed Jagdeesh Prasad Meena, a 2004-batch IAS officer of secretary rank, as the new Home Secretary. This decision marks a break from the convention of appointing an additional chief secretary-rank officer to the home department, with the only previous exception being Basudev Banerjee in 2012.
Meanwhile, the retired chief secretary, Moj Pant, has been appointed as the Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The Distinguished Career of Nandini Chakravorty
An alumna of Kolkata's Lady Brabourne College, Chakravorty completed her schooling at Sacred Heart School in Ranchi. She earned her postgraduate degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in 1993 and cleared the prestigious UPSC examination in the same year.
Her academic excellence is underscored by several awards, including the University Merit Scholarship (1990) from Calcutta University, the UGC JRF and eligibility for lectureship (1992), and the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Award in 1993.
Chakravorty's administrative journey in Bengal began in 1995 as the assistant magistrate of East Midnapore. She served as the District Magistrate of Howrah from February 2005 to January 2007. Over the years, she has held multiple key positions, demonstrating versatile leadership.
Her significant roles include serving as the Managing Director and CEO of the West Bengal Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBIIDC). In November 2012, she took charge as the Information and Cultural Affairs Secretary and subsequently worked as secretary in various departments. She also served as the Principal Secretary to the Governor of West Bengal from August 2022 to February 2023.
Other Key Administrative Changes
The bureaucratic reshuffle announced on Wednesday included several other important changes. Barun Kumar Ray, a 1992-batch IAS officer and Additional Chief Secretary of the Non-Conventional and Renewable Energy Department, was given the additional charge of the Tourism Department.
Similarly, Dushyant Nariala, a 1993-batch officer who is the Additional Chief Secretary for the North Bengal Development Department and GTA, was entrusted with the additional responsibility of the Jail Department.
Furthermore, Surendra Gupta, a 1997-batch IAS officer and Principal Secretary of Public Health Engineering, was given the additional charge of Divisional Commissioner for the Presidency Division.
This comprehensive reshuffle sets the stage for the state's administrative machinery in what promises to be a politically significant year, with a woman officer now leading the civil services for the first time in Bengal's history.
