Madhu Rani Teotia has been appointed as Secretary to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, as announced by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. Born in 1981 and a 2008 IAS officer, Teotia’s selection is believed to be influenced by her Delhi upbringing and the Chief Minister’s prerogative in choosing a secretary. She previously served as Additional CEO at the National Health Authority and has a background as a homeopathic doctor. Teotia gained attention after her husband, IPS officer Narendra Singh, was murdered by a mining mafia in 2012. Additionally, several other IAS officers were appointed to key positions in the Delhi government.
New Delhi:
Madhu Rani Teotia, a senior bureaucrat, has been appointed as the secretary to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The announcement was made late this evening by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. Born in 1981, she is an IAS officer from the 2008 batch.
There is speculation that the Chief Minister personally selected Ms. Teotia, given her upbringing in Delhi and the traditional prerogative of the Chief Minister to choose their secretary.
Prior to this, Ms. Teotia held the position of Additional Chief Executive Officer at the National Health Authority under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Before joining the IAS, Ms. Teotia was a homeopathic doctor and later pursued a management degree. She became an IAS officer in 2008 and gained public attention following the tragic murder of her husband, IPS officer Narendra Singh, by local mining mafia in Morena in 2012.
Narendra Kumar Singh, a proactive officer known for seizing numerous vehicles involved in the illegal mining of stones and sand, was tragically killed when a tractor-trolley allegedly driven by a mining mafia associate ran him over while he was attempting to stop it. This incident instilled fear among police officers in the region.
Ms. Teotia and Singh were married in 2009, and she gave birth to their child shortly after her husband’s death. She has since called for a CBI inquiry into the circumstances of his murder.
Subsequently, the Central government recognized her situation as exceptional, permitting her to change her cadre from Madhya Pradesh to AGMUT.
The transfer order from the Delhi government’s Services Department also indicated that 2011-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officers Sandeep Kumar Singh and Ravi Jha would serve as Special Secretaries to the Chief Minister.
Mr. Jha currently serves as the Excise Commissioner of Delhi, while Singh, who is presently posted elsewhere, will join the Delhi government after completing his term as Private Secretary to the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism.
Additionally, 2007-batch IAS officer Azimul Haque has been named Chief Executive Officer of the Delhi Waqf Board, while the additional role of Member (Administration) in the Delhi Jal Board has been assigned to 2014-batch officer Sachin Rana.
Mr. Haque had previously been the Member (Administration) at DJB while also overseeing the Delhi Waqf Board. Mr. Rana has served as Additional Chief Executive Officer in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi.
(With agencies)