Meet Pankaj Joshi, Gujarat's Next Chief Secretary

Joshi, a 1989 Gujarat cadre IAS officer started his career as a provincial collector. In his career spanning over 30 years, Joshi, a native of Nainital in Uttarakhand, has worn several hats, handling many key portfolios.

While serving as ACS, Joshi was given additional charge of the state’s ports and transport department. He is also the managing director of Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd.

Last year in November, Joshi, was assigned the additional charge as Chief Secretary for 10 days when Kumar had gone on leave on account of his son’s wedding. 

Joshi, a seasoned bureaucrat with a distinguished career, earned a B.Tech degree in Civil Engineering and went on to do his M.Tech in Water Resource Engineering from IIT, New Delhi.  He is also an M.Phil in Defence & Strategic Studies. he is also an avid soccer fan. People known to him say that in his free time, the senior bureaucrat enjoys watching soccer matches.

Meanwhile, the incumbent Kumar, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur, also served in Central government. Kumar, a private person, who maintained a low profile, is known for his integrity and objectivity, two rare traits in a state often dominated by corporate and business lobbies which try to influence decision making, as reported by the Secretariat earlier.