Ajay Kumar Bhalla

Ajay Kumar Bhalla
IAS
Home Secretary of India
In office
22 August 2019 – 22 August 2024
Appointed byAppointments Committee of the Cabinet
Preceded byRajiv Gauba
Succeeded byGovind Mohan[1]
Secretary, Ministry of Power
In office
July 2017 – July 2019
Preceded byP.K.Pujari
Succeeded bySanjiv N. Sahai
Personal details
Born (1960-11-26) 26 November 1960 (age 63)[2]
Jalandhar, Punjab, India
Alma materUniversity of Delhi, University of Queensland
OccupationCivil servant

Ajay Kumar Bhalla (born 26 November 1960) is former Home Secretary of India. He assumed the office on 23 August 2019, succeeding Rajiv Gauba. He is a retired IAS officer of 1984 batch,[3][4] from Assam Meghalaya cadre. He served as Home Secretary of India for around five years there till 22 August 2024.[5] He hails from Jalandhar, Punjab, India.

Early life and education

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Ajay Kumar Bhalla was born on 26 November 1960 in Jalandhar, Punjab,India. Before pursuing higher studies, he completed his early education in Punjab. Bhalla obtained his Master of Science degree in botany from the University of Delhi.[6] He further enhanced his academic qualifications by earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.[7]

Career

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Ajay Kumar Bhalla is a 1984-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre.[8] Throughout his career, he has held several significant positions in the Indian government, showcasing his administrative expertise.

Union Home Secretary

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Bhalla was appointed as the Union Home Secretary on August 22, 2019.[9] His tenure has been marked by several significant events and challenges:

  • Oversaw the implementation of changes following the abrogation of Jammu & Kashmir's special status in 2019.[9]
  • Managed the government's response to nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in late 2019.[9]
  • Spearheaded the nation's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, overseeing lockdown measures and coordinating with states.[9]
  • Handled various security challenges, including farmers' protests in Delhi and the Manipur conflict.[9]

Bhalla's tenure as Home Secretary has been extended multiple times, with his fourth extension in August 2023 set to keep him in office till August 22, 2024. This will make him only the second Union Home Secretary to complete five years in office and thereafter, he retired.[9]

Previous positions

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Prior to his appointment as Home Secretary, Bhalla held several key positions in the Indian government:

  1. Secretary, Ministry of Power (July 2017 - July 2019)[10]
  2. Director General of Foreign Trade[10]
  3. Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce[10]
  4. Joint Secretary, Ministry of Coal[10]
  5. Director (Ports), Department of Shipping[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Govind Mohan, 1989-batch IAS officer, appointed new Home Secretary". India Today. 2024-08-15. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
  2. ^ "Civil List of IAS Officers". dtf.in. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  3. ^ "Ajay Kumar Bhalla is new home secretary". India Today. IANS. 22 August 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  4. ^ "IAS Officer Ajay Kumar Bhalla Appointed Next Union Home Secretary". News18. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  5. ^ PTI (2023-08-04). "Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla gets fourth extension, to remain in service till Aug. 22 next year". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  6. ^ "Home Secretary, Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla" (PDF). Census of India. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  7. ^ "Home Secretary, Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla" (PDF). Census of India. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  8. ^ "Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla Gets Extension Till August Next Year". NDTV. 2023-08-04. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "Man about the Home: Why Ajay Bhalla has just got fourth extension". The Indian Express. 2023-08-05. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Ajay Kumar Bhalla given additional charge of Secretary, Border Management Department". eGov Magazine. 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2024-07-03.


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