Leh, Feb 18 :
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has re-designated the post of Advisor to Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh as Chief Secretary of the Union Territory.
According to details available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), General Administration Department of Ladakh issued an “Office Memorandum” announcing the re-designation of the post of Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor as Chief Secretary, UT of Ladakh.
This decision, according to the officials, follows the notification dated January 3, 2025, issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), Government of India and has been approved by the Competent Authority in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Pertinently, an IAS officer of the 1994 batch (AGMUT cadre), Dr. Pawan Kotwal currently serves as the Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh and will now assume the designation of Chief Secretary, UT of Ladakh, with no change in his duties and responsibilities.
“All official communications previously addressed to the Advisor to Lieutenant Governor shall now be directed to the Chief Secretary of Ladakh.”
This decision marks a significant milestone in Ladakh’s administrative evolution, making Dr. Pawan Kotwal the first Chief Secretary of the Union Territory.
A highly respected civil servant, Dr. Kotwal was born in Jammu & Kashmir in 1965 and holds a degree in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS).
Over the course of his career, Dr Kotwal has held various key positions across Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh including Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Deputy Commissioner in multiple Districts of J&K and Principal Secretary in Departments such as Health & Medical Education, Revenue, Forest. Ecology & Environment and Planning Development & Monitoring Department as well as Commissioner/Secretary and Administrative Secretary in various other Departments. He has also served as Financial Commissioner in the Revenue Department, as Inspector General of Registration and as Secretary to the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir—(KNO)