Culture Ministry Secretary Govind Mohan appointed Home Secretary-designate

New Delhi [India], August 14 : The Union government on Wednesday announced the name of Govind Mohan as the Union Home Secretary-designate by appointing him as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Ministry of Home Affairs, who will take over the charge on August 22 when incumbent Ajay Kumar Bhalla's extended tenure ends.
Mohan, the 1989-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Sikkim cadre, has been moved from the Ministry of Culture, where he is Secretary, as Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Home Affairs with "immediate effect".
Mohan will assume the role of Home Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs following the end of Bhalla's extended term on August 22.
"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Govind Mohan, IAS (SK:89), Secretary, Ministry of Culture as Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Home Affairs with immediate effect. The officer will take over as Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs vice Ajay Kumar Bhalla, IAS (AM: 84) on completion of his tenure on August 22, 2024," an order issued by the Ministry of Personnel reads.
Mohan, who turns 59 next month, will replace 1984-batch IAS officer Bhalla, who was given a fourth extension in the post last year till August 22, 2024. Bhalla was appointed Home Secretary in August 2019. He was to retire in November 2020 after attaining 60 years of age. His tenure was first extended on October 17, 2020, till August 22, 2021. Subsequently, his term was extended for one year each in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Mohan, an electrical engineer from BHU-IIT Varanasi, has been serving as the Union Culture Secretary since October 2021 and has previously had two terms with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Originally from Uttar Pradesh, Mohan has been on Central Deputation since August 2017. He served as a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs from May to September 2018 and as Additional Secretary from September 2018 to September 2021.