AHMEDABAD: Senior IAS officer Manoj Kumar Das has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of the state. The 1990-batch officer, known for his close coordination with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, will take charge on October 31, succeeding Pankaj Joshi, who retires the same day.
The formal announcement came through an official state notification on Tuesday, confirming what had been widely speculated in bureaucratic circles for months.
Currently serving as the Additional Chief Secretary in the Home Department of the Gujarat government, he is set to retire on December 20, 2026.
Notably, he is the only officer to make a return to the Gujarat Chief Minister’s Office.
Das will formally assume office on October 31, 2025, taking over from Pankaj Joshi, who is due to retire the same day. Sources indicate that Joshi, who has led the state bureaucracy since 2023, is likely to be given a special advisory role post-retirement, marking a smooth transition at the top of Gujarat’s administrative hierarchy.
Das has long been viewed as one of the most influential officers in the Chief Minister’s Office. He is known for his technical acumen and administrative command.
His presence alongside Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel at nearly every major event--from cabinet meetings to development reviews--had signaled his rising profile and inevitable elevation to the state’s top bureaucratic post.
Born on December 20, 1966, in Darbhanga, Bihar, MK Das holds a B.Tech (Hons) degree in Computer Science from IIT Kharagpur.
Das' career, spanning over three decades, is dotted with key positions that shaped both Gujarat’s urban and industrial landscape.
Starting as District Development Officer in Vadodara, Das rose steadily through the ranks, serving as Municipal Commissioner of Surat and Vadodara, where he was credited for pushing urban infrastructure and e-governance reforms.
His tenure as Joint Managing Director of Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) and later as Additional Chief Secretary of Industries and Mines Department saw him play a central role in executing the Industrial Policy 2020 and orchestrating the globally recognized Vibrant Gujarat Summit.
Beyond the state, Das has also made his mark at the national level. During his deputation to the Ministry of Home Affairs, he handled key administrative portfolios, strengthening his profile as a policy-driven officer with a national outlook.
The appointment of Das signals not just a routine administrative change but also a strategic continuity in Gujarat’s governance model.
