New Delhi, February 27, 2025 – In a significant administrative overhaul under the newly formed BJP government in Delhi, Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Madhu Rani Teotia has been appointed as Secretary to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The announcement, made late Thursday evening, is part of the first major bureaucratic reshuffle orchestrated by the Services Department under Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, signaling a fresh approach to governance in the capital.
Madhu Rani Teotia, a 2008-batch IAS officer from the AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories) cadre, brings a wealth of experience to her new role. Prior to this appointment, she served as the Additional Chief Executive Officer at the National Health Authority under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Known for her administrative acumen and integrity, Teotia’s selection is seen as a strategic move to bolster the Chief Minister’s office with a seasoned bureaucrat familiar with Delhi’s complex governance challenges.
The reshuffle comes on the heels of the BJP’s return to power in Delhi, ending a decade-long dominance by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the recent Assembly elections held on February 5. The party secured 48 of the 70 seats, paving the way for Rekha Gupta to assume the mantle of Chief Minister. Thursday’s appointments reflect the new administration’s intent to streamline operations and align key bureaucratic positions with its policy vision.
In addition to Teotia’s appointment, the Services Department announced that two 2011-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officers, Sandeep Kumar Singh and Ravi Jha, will serve as Special Secretaries to the Chief Minister. Jha currently holds the position of Excise Commissioner of Delhi, while Singh, stationed outside the capital, is expected to join the Delhi government after concluding his tenure as Private Secretary to the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism.
The reshuffle extends beyond the Chief Minister’s office. IAS officer Azimul Haque (2007-batch) has been named Chief Executive Officer of the Delhi Waqf Board, relinquishing his prior role as Member (Administration) in the Delhi Jal Board. Meanwhile, Sachin Rana, a 2014-batch officer, has been appointed as Additional Electoral Officer with the additional charge of Member (Administration) in the Delhi Jal Board, a position he takes over from Haque.
Teotia’s appointment has drawn attention not only for her professional credentials but also for her personal resilience. A Delhi native educated at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Gole Market, she transitioned from a career as a homeopathic doctor to earning a management degree before joining the IAS. Her name gained prominence in 2012 when her husband, IPS officer Narendra Singh, was tragically murdered by the mining mafia in Morena, Madhya Pradesh, shortly after their marriage. Teotia’s subsequent demand for a CBI inquiry into the incident and her shift from the Madhya Pradesh cadre to AGMUT underscored her determination, qualities that colleagues say she now brings to her new role.
Political analysts view this reshuffle as a signal of the BJP’s focus on efficiency and accountability in Delhi’s administration. “Appointing experienced officers like Teotia to pivotal roles suggests a hands-on approach by CM Rekha Gupta to tackle the capital’s pressing issues,” said a senior political commentator. With Teotia at her side, Gupta is poised to navigate the challenges of urban governance, from infrastructure development to public health, in a city that demands both agility and foresight.
As Delhi embarks on this new chapter under BJP leadership, the spotlight remains on how these bureaucratic changes will translate into tangible outcomes for its residents. For now, Madhu Rani Teotia’s appointment stands as a testament to the administration’s intent to blend experience with resolve at the highest levels of governance.