Leh, Feb 18: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has officially re-designated the position of Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh to that of Chief Secretary of the Union Territory. The General Administration Department of Ladakh has issued an “Office Memorandum” confirming this change.
This re-designation follows a notification issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) of the Government of India on January 3, 2025, and has received approval from the Competent Authority within the MHA.
Currently, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, an IAS officer from the 1994 batch (AGMUT cadre), serves as the Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. He will now take on the title of Chief Secretary of the Union Territory without any alteration to his existing duties and responsibilities.
“All official correspondence that was previously directed to the Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor will now be addressed to the Chief Secretary of Ladakh.”
This decision represents a pivotal moment in the administrative development of Ladakh, appointing Dr. Pawan Kotwal as the first Chief Secretary of the Union Territory.
Dr. Kotwal, a distinguished civil servant, was born in Jammu & Kashmir in 1965 and holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree. Throughout his career, he has occupied significant roles across Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, including Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Deputy Commissioner in multiple districts of J&K, and Principal Secretary in various departments such as Health & Medical Education, Revenue, Forest, Ecology & Environment, as well as Planning Development & Monitoring. He has also been a Commissioner/Secretary and Administrative Secretary in several other departments, served as Financial Commissioner in the Revenue Department, and held positions as Inspector General of Registration and Secretary to the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir. (KNO)
