Another IAS officer from the Himachal Pradesh cadre has been appointed to a prestigious position in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Subhashish Panda, a 1997-batch Himachal cadre officer, has been selected as the new
Additional Secretary in the PMO. Prior to this, Panda was serving as the Vice-Chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). His appointment was formalised by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet, adding him to the list of key officials supporting the Prime Minister’s operations.
Panda’s new role at the PMO marks another instance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s confidence in Himachal Pradesh’s administrative talent. Along with Panda, two other IAS officers — Raghu Ji, a 2011-batch officer from the Odisha cadre, and Chandra Mohan Thakur, a 2012-batch officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre — have also been appointed to the PMO as Deputy Secretaries.
Panda’s rich legacy of service
Subhashish Panda has held several key positions in Himachal Pradesh before moving to central deputation. During the tenure of former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, Panda served as Principal Secretary for Public Works and Tourism Departments.
He was also Principal Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office, demonstrating his versatility in handling crucial administrative duties. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Director at AIIMS-Delhi.
Panda’s central deputation began during the current Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government and he now joins a growing list of Himachal cadre officers who have been entrusted with important roles in the PMO.
Tarun Kapoor’s continued role in PMO
Subhashish Panda’s appointment follows in the footsteps of Tarun Kapoor, a 1987-batch retired IAS officer from Himachal Pradesh, who currently serves as an adviser in the PMO.
Kapoor plays a pivotal role in overseeing major projects in the energy sector, including solar energy, a key area of focus for the Modi government.
His expertise has been crucial in driving forward several of the Prime Minister’s ambitious energy initiatives.
Several Himachal-cadre IAS officers have held important positions at the national level. Ajay Mittal served as Secretary in the Ministry of Personnel while Ajay Tyagi was appointed Chairman of SEBI.
