Chief Secretary Saxena Retires, Successor Remains Uncertain

Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena retired today, though the identity of his successor remains undecided. The government has not yet made any announcement regarding the appointment. Saxena was given a farewell at the state secretariat. Originally scheduled to retire on March 31, he had been granted a six-month extension of service.

In his farewell address, Saxena said that since its formation, Himachal Pradesh has made remarkable progress through the collective efforts of its people, leadership, officials, and staff. He praised the dedication of state employees, who continued to provide exemplary service despite adverse weather conditions. Saxena described the people of the state as hardworking and honest, extending his best wishes for their prosperity and welfare.

Additional Chief Secretary K.K. Pant lauded Saxena’s contributions to the state and honored him, while Secretariat Administration Secretary Rakesh Kanwar officially bade him farewell.

Among the frontrunners for the Chief Secretary post is Sanjay Gupta, a 1988-batch IAS officer and the most senior bureaucrat, who is due to retire next year. Other contenders include Additional Chief Secretary Kamlesh Kumar Pant (1993 batch), set to retire in 2030, and Additional Chief Secretary Omkar Chand Sharma (1994 batch), third in seniority and retiring in 2027.