Who is Sujata Saunik? Meet IAS officer who became Maharashtra's first female Chief Secretary

First Published Jul 1, 2024, 12:40 PM IST

IAS officer Sujata Saunik created history on June 30 by becoming the first female to be appointed as the Chief Secretary in Maharashtra. She hails from the IAS batch of 1987 and will be taking the position following the retirement of former Chief Secretary Nitin Kareer.

Meet IAS officer Sujata Saunik

Sujata Saunik solidified her name in history on June 30 as she became the first-ever female Chief Secretary of Maharashtra. Ms. Sujata will be serving a 1-year term after taking her retirement on June 30, 2025.

Sujata Saunik is an Indian Administrative Service Officer from the 1987 batch. She was appointed to the position of Chief Secretary by the MahaYuti government after Chief Secretary Nitin Kareer retired from the post.

The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis appointed Sujata Saunik for the position, aiming to get support from women voters in the approaching Assembly elections. The appointment also aligns with the Fourth Women Policy, launched by the Indian government to empower women.

The ceremony took place in Mantralaya, the State Secretariat in Mumbai, on Sunday evening, during which former Chief Secretary Nitin Kareer handed over the charge to Sujata Saunik in a formal setting.

Sujata Saunik served as Additional Chief Secretary in the State's Home Department before earning her promotion to Chief Secretary. This year, another woman, Rashmi Shukla, in Maharashtra, assumed the powerful position of Director General of Police, making her the first woman to hold that post.