Rajesh Lakhani’s Return Marks New Chapter In Tamil Nadu Administrative Service
IAS officer Rajesh Lakhani returns to Tamil Nadu cadre.
Senior IAS officer Rajesh Lakhani has been prematurely repatriated to the Tamil Nadu cadre from his central deputation as Commissioner of the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), under the Union Ministry of Education. The move, approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), comes at a time when Tamil Nadu’s administrative leadership is set to undergo changes in the coming years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday, the Department of School Education and Literacy had proposed Lakhani’s repatriation to his parent cadre on personal grounds.
The ACC approved the proposal, resulting in the curtailment of his central deputation tenure before its scheduled completion. Lakhani, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, was appointed as Commissioner of Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti in February 2025. He was initially assigned to the Joint Secretary-level position until his retirement on May 31, 2029. However, his return to Tamil Nadu comes nearly four years before the end of his approved tenure with the central government.
The repatriation assumes significance as Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar is scheduled to retire on February 28, 2027. Lakhani, being among the senior-most officers in the Tamil Nadu cadre, is expected to be considered as one of the possible contenders for the post of Chief Secretary when the vacancy arises.Originally from Chhattisgarh, Lakhani has held several key administrative positions during his career in Tamil Nadu. He has served as Commissioner of Municipal Administration, Secretary of the Tourism Department, and Chief Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu from 2016 to 2018.
Also Read: Former Odisha IAS Officer, VK Pandian's Wife, Formally Joins Biju Janata Dal
His tenure as the state’s Chief Electoral Officer covered the period of major elections, including the 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls and subsequent electoral exercises. Lakhani later served as Principal Secretary of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, where he handled key programmes related to local governance and rural development. He also served as Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, overseeing one of the state’s crucial infrastructure sectors. Before moving on central deputation, Lakhani held the rank of Additional Chief Secretary and was serving as Commissioner of Revenue Administration and Disaster Management in Tamil Nadu.
His role involved handling important areas such as disaster preparedness, relief operations, and revenue administration across the state. His return is expected to add further strength to the pool of senior bureaucrats available for key administrative responsibilities in Tamil Nadu. With his extensive experience across various departments, Lakhani’s repatriation is likely to be closely watched in administrative circles, particularly ahead of the expected transition in the state’s top bureaucratic post.
Also Read: Iran Guards Claim Tanker Strikes in Hormuz, US Denies Report
