LEH: The General Administration Department (GAD) of Ladakh has announced the re-designation of the post of Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor as Chief Secretary, UT of Ladakh.

An official spokesperson said that this change followed a notification from the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) on January 3, 2025, and has been approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India.

Dr Pawan Kotwal, an IAS officer from the 1994 batch of the AGMUT cadre, currently serving as the Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor, will now take on the role of Chief Secretary.

His duties and responsibilities will remain unchanged, the spokesperson said.

"All official communications previously addressed to the Advisor will now be directed to the Chief Secretary of Ladakh," he said.

This decision marks a significant milestone for Ladakh's administrative development, making Dr Kotwal the first-ever Chief Secretary of the Union Territory.

Dr Kotwal, born in Jammu & Kashmir in 1965, holds an MBBS degree and has held several important positions in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, including Divisional Commissioner of Jammu and Deputy Commissioner in multiple districts.

He has also served as Principal Secretary in key departments such as Health, Revenue, and Forests, and as Financial Commissioner in the Revenue Department.