CHENNAI: Senior IAS officer Rajesh Lakhani of the 1992 Tamil Nadu cadre has been prematurely repatriated from his post as Commissioner (Joint Secretary level) of the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) under the Union Ministry of Education.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the proposal of the Department of School Education and Literacy to repatriate Lakhani to the Tamil Nadu cadre on personal grounds.
Lakhani was appointed Commissioner of the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti in February 2025. He had been appointed to the Joint Secretary-level post until his superannuation on May 31, 2029. However, his central deputation has now been curtailed well before the completion of his approved tenure.
His return to Tamil Nadu assumes significance as the incumbent Chief Secretary, M Sai Kumar, is due to retire on February 28, 2027. Lakhani, one of the senior-most IAS officers in the Tamil Nadu cadre, is likely to be among the frontrunners for appointment as the next Chief Secretary.
Originally from Chhattisgarh, Lakhani belongs to the 1992 batch of the Tamil Nadu cadre. During his career in Tamil Nadu, he has served as Commissioner of Municipal Administration, Secretary to the Tourism Department, and Chief Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu between 2016 and 2018. He later served as Principal Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, and as Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.
Holding the rank of Additional Chief Secretary, Lakhani was serving as Commissioner of Revenue Administration and Disaster Management before proceeding on central deputation in February 2025. His return is expected to strengthen the pool of senior officers in the State administration.