Nandini Chakravorty, a 1994-batch IAS officer, was appointed the chief secretary of Bengal after the incumbent Manoj Pant retired on Wednesday. Chakraborty, who was the home secretary, along with additional responsibilities of parliamentary affairs and tourism departments, would be the first woman chief secretary of Bengal. A section of bureaucrats said chief minister Mamata Banerjee sent a message by appointing Chakravorty as chief secretary even though she superseded at least six IAS officers who were senior to her. If they can’t be made the chief secretary, they should have been released earlier for the sake of their career,” said a bureaucrat. Manoj Pant, the former chief secretary, was appointed as the principal secretary to the chief minister, who will hold the rank of chief secretary.

Source: The Telegraph January 01, 2026 04:02 UTC