Inside The Secretariat: GIFT City Film, Power Play, & Civil Service Craze

GIFT City Goes Cinematic to Lure Global Investors

To attract investment from countries across the world to Gujarat’s GIFT City, located in Gandhinagar, an agency is being selected to produce a world-class promotional film showcasing the city’s global potential. With the objective of projecting GIFT City on an international platform, the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Company Limited (GIFTCL) has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP). Acting on directions from the central government, the process has begun to produce a high-quality corporate and promotional film titled “GIFT City Film for Global Audience.” The purpose of this film is to further strengthen GIFT City’s identity as India’s first operational smart city and as a global financial and technology hub. The film will be used at global summits, investors’ meetings, international presentations, promotional events, and digital platforms. It will highlight GIFT City’s development, infrastructure, business ecosystem, and lifestyle. In addition, short films will be made focusing on topics such as Global Capability Centers, Financial Services, and Sustainability. The main film will be produced in ultra-HD quality and will feature drone shots, time-lapse visuals, 3D animation, motion graphics, and multi-language voiceovers to appeal to diverse international audiences.

Power Corridors Buzz as Officials Eye Ministers’ Staffs

Members of the newly formed cabinet have started studying the departments allotted to them, but with the process of appointing regular officers to their chambers now underway, some officials have begun lobbying for preferred postings. At present, a temporary arrangement has been made for the deployment of officers, but several ministers have reportedly requested the Chief Minister to allow specific trusted officers to work in their chambers. Some ministers have already brought back officers who had earlier worked with them, though it appears that many of these temporary arrangements may soon change as new officers are likely to be assigned. Meanwhile, several retired officers have also shown keen interest in being posted in ministers’ chambers at the Secretariat, hoping to leverage old connections to secure suitable roles. On the other hand, the chamber of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi—who currently handles more than 15 departments—is being renovated to accommodate about half a dozen officers who will assist him in managing the heavy administrative workload. It is noteworthy that after the recent cabinet reshuffle, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel now retains charge of only six to seven departments.

Civil Service Craze Grips Gujarat’s Next-Gen!

The youth of Gujarat—both young men and women—are increasingly turning their focus toward the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations. The Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA) has launched a new training batch for the UPSC 2026 examination, reflecting this growing enthusiasm. Out of a total of 19,567 applications received for admission to the training program, 10,206 candidates appeared for the first-stage objective test. Of the 1,185 candidates who qualified for the second-stage descriptive exam, 451 candidates have been selected for training. Over the past three years, 68 candidates trained by SPIPA have successfully cleared the final UPSC examinations—a remarkable achievement that has inspired even more aspirants to join. For the current batch, 635 training seats have been allotted, but selections were made based on a defined cut-off score, ensuring merit-based admission. There was a time when Gujarati youth largely stayed away from the tough UPSC exams, but that trend has changed dramatically. Today, long queues of motivated aspirants are seen eager to become IAS or IPS officers, as reflected in SPIPA’s growing enrollment numbers. SPIPA also provides financial incentives to candidates who clear the UPSC Preliminary and Final examinations, further encouraging them to pursue careers in the civil services.

Women Take Command in Gujarat’s Corridors of Power

With the retirement of 1989-batch IAS officer Sunaina Tomar scheduled at the end of November, the spotlight in Gujarat’s senior bureaucracy is now shifting toward women officers. The list of top-ranking women bureaucrats currently includes Dr. Jayanti Ravi and Dr. Anju Sharma from the 1991 batch; Vatsala Vasudeva and D. Thara from the 1995 batch; Mona Khandhar and Mamta Verma from the 1996 batch; and Shahmeena Hussain and Sonal Mishra from the 1997 batch. Among these eight officers, D. Thara and Sonal Mishra are presently serving on deputation in New Delhi. Many of these women are considered strong contenders for key postings in the upcoming bureaucratic reshuffle, given their seniority and proven administrative track records. Notably, in the history of Gujarat’s bureaucracy, Manjula Subramaniam remains the only woman to have held the post of Chief Secretary, the state’s top bureaucratic position. Others such as Swarnkanta Varma, S. Aparna, Sangeeta Singh, and Sunaina Tomar came close to the top but did not make it to the Chief Secretary’s chair.

November-End Shibir to Set Gujarat’s Roadmap for 2026

The Gujarat government’s annual Chintan Shibir, which was earlier scheduled to be held from November 13 to 15, has now been rescheduled to November 27–29. The change has been made in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s programme on November 15. This year’s retreat will take place at the Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram in Dharampur, Valsad district. The three-day brainstorming session will be attended by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, all members of his cabinet, as well as IAS officers, district collectors, and district development officers. The upcoming 12th Chintan Shibir holds special significance as it comes ahead of the local body elections next year and the formulation of the state budget for 2026–27. For newly inducted ministers and IAS officers, the retreat will serve as an opportunity for learning, reflection, and experience-sharing. In the past, the 11th Chintan Shibir (2024) was held in the Somnath temple complex, while the 10th Shibir (2023) took place at the Statue of Unity site.

Power Circles Stir as Search Begins for New DGP

Following the appointment of the new Chief Secretary in Gujarat, attention within the state bureaucracy has now shifted to the next Director General of Police (DGP), as the six-month extension granted to the current DGP, Vikas Sahay, is set to expire next month. There is growing speculation among senior officials that, just as 1989-batch IAS officer Sunaina Tomar was superseded in the Chief Secretary’s appointment, a similar scenario might unfold in the police department as well. As per the seniority list, 1991-batch IPS officer Samshersinh, currently serving as Additional DG in the Border Security Force (BSF) on deputation, is the senior-most eligible officer. However, he is due to retire in March 2026, which may influence the government’s decision. Gujarat has five sanctioned DGP-rank posts, among which Dr. K. Lakshmi narayan Rao, who is due to retire in October 2027, is seen as a potential candidate for the top post. However, the state government is reportedly considering multiple names before finalizing the appointment. Other senior officers in the zone of consideration include 1993-batch IPS officer G.S. Malik, who retires in November 2028, and Dr. Neerja Gotru, who retires in November 2029 — both of whom still have substantial service tenure remaining. It remains to be seen which senior IPS officer currently serving in Gujarat will be entrusted with the responsibility of leading the state police force once DGP Vikas Sahay’s term ends.

Bihar Connection Dominates Gujarat’s Top Bureaucracy

In recent years, officers from Bihar belonging to the Gujarat cadre of the IAS and IPS have come to occupy some of the most influential positions in the state bureaucracy. Two of the most important posts in the state administration — Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) — have both been held by officers originally from Bihar. In the past, J.N. Singh and Pankaj Kumar, both natives of Bihar, served as Chief Secretaries of Gujarat, and now Manoj Kumar Das, the current Chief Secretary, also hails from Bihar. Similarly, among the state’s police leadership, former DGP Shivanand Jha and the current DGP Vikas Sahay are also from Bihar. Beyond these top positions, several key departments in the Secretariat are headed or significantly influenced by officers of Bihari origin. Prominent among them are S.J. Haider, Mukesh Kumar, Anupam Anand, Sandeep Kumar, K.K. Nirala, Sanjeev Kumar, Dr. Ranjit Singh Gulati, Ajay Prakash, Sujit Kumar, Utkarsh Ujjwal, and Anjali Thakur. In the state bureaucracy, officers from Rajasthan form the second largest group after those from Bihar in terms of representation among non-Gujarati officials.

From Comfort to Commitment: IPS Officers Go Grassroots!

In a move reminiscent of the post-2001 earthquake days—when ministers and officers were directed to stay overnight in villages—30 senior IPS officers in Gujarat recently spent nights in rural areas instead of circuit houses or luxury hotels. Acting on the directive of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, the officers were tasked with organizing village-level interaction sessions (Samvad Sabha) and staying overnight in the same villages. The exercise aimed to bring senior officers closer to ground realities. During the visit, the officers reviewed key aspects of border-area development, including health, education, infrastructure, sanitation, safety, and security. They also held special meetings with Border Security Force (BSF) officials to discuss border security operations and anti-national activities. Interestingly, the Deputy Chief Minister and the officers spent the night in traditional rural huts, symbolizing solidarity with villagers and offering them firsthand experience of rural life. The primary objective of this initiative was to gain direct insight into the living conditions, daily struggles, and needs of rural residents, particularly those in border and remote regions of the state.