In a significant bureaucratic reshuffle approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), several high-level appointments have been announced across key ministries of the Government of India. Among the major changes, the Ministry of Tourism has seen two crucial leadership transitions.
Suman Billa IAS Takes Charge as Director General, Tourism
Suman Billa, a 1996 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Kerala cadre, has been appointed as the new Director General (Tourism), Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Currently serving as Additional Secretary in the same ministry, Billa brings a wealth of experience and deep domain expertise to the role.
His extensive career in tourism includes previous roles as Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Director of Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Development at the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and as Director and Secretary of the Department of Tourism in Kerala. During his tenure at the Centre from 2014 to 2019, he played a pivotal role in major tourism campaigns and policy developments. These included launching Incredible India 2.0, the Swadesh Darshan scheme, promoting e-visa implementation, and advocating for reduced GST rates on hotel tariffs.
Billa’s contributions at the state level are equally notable—he spearheaded globally recognized initiatives like Monsoon Tourism, the Spice Route Project, and Responsible Tourism, the latter earning the prestigious UNWTO Ulysses Award for Innovation in Public Policy and Governance.
An alumnus of Madras Christian College and Jawaharlal Nehru University, Billa is also a British Chevening Gurukula Scholar from the London School of Economics. He currently serves on the board of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). His appointment comes at a crucial time as India’s international tourist arrivals have yet to fully recover to pre-COVID levels and budgetary allocations for overseas marketing remain limited. Industry leaders have welcomed his return to the top post, citing his in-depth knowledge and strategic vision for the sector.
Mugdha Sinha IAS Appointed MD, ITDC
Mugdha Sinha, a 1999 batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed as the Managing Director of India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), following her stint as Director General (Tourism). Known for her dynamic leadership and innovative thinking, Sinha brings over two decades of experience in public policy and international trade negotiations.
Before her role in the Ministry of Tourism, she served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, where she led the GLAM Division and successfully organized three major events in 2023. For her contributions, she was honored with the Raja Kakil Dev Sawai Jaipur Award in 2024.
In Rajasthan, she has held key roles across culture and science portfolios, including as Director General of Jawahar Kala Kendra (JKK), where she conceptualized Astro Night Sky Tourism—an initiative that gained national popularity and led to the declaration of Hanle in Ladakh as India’s first Dark Sky Reserve.
Academically accomplished, Sinha is an alumna of Lady Shri Ram College (LSR), JNU, and the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. She has received multiple accolades including the Ford Foundation Scholarship, NET-JRF Fellowship, and the Manorama Desai Award for Best Student in History.
Also a noted writer and poet, she published two books in 2023: Postcard Poems in English (Red River Publications) and Kya Kahun Maln, Main Kaun Hun in Hindi (Vani Prakashan). In 2020, she was named ELSA Changemaker of the Year and was inducted into the LSR Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Alumna.
Sinha has consistently advocated for making governance more citizen-friendly, and her new role at ITDC offers her a platform to further elevate tourism infrastructure and public sector hospitality services.
Broader Reshuffle: 25 Senior IAS Appointments and Promotions
The reshuffle includes the appointment of 25 IAS officers to the rank of Additional Secretary and the in-situ promotion of 15 others. Notable changes include:
K.K. Pathak (1990 batch, Bihar cadre): Appointed Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat
N. Saravana Kumar (2000 batch, Bihar cadre): Named Vice Chairman, Delhi Development Authority (DDA)
Bhuvnesh Kumar (1995 batch, UP cadre): Appointed CEO, UIDAI
Jitendra Srivastava (2000 batch, Bihar cadre): Appointed CMD, REC Ltd., Ministry of Power
Prabhat (1993 batch, IRPS): Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
Amitabh Kumar: Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Roop Rashi: CEO, Khadi and Village Industries Commission
Among the 15 in-situ promotions to the Additional Secretary rank:
Sonal Mishra: Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship
Indra Mallo: Cabinet Secretariat
Deepak Agarwal: NAFED
Manmeet Kaur Nanda: Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities
Aparna Sachin Sharma: Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers
This wide-ranging reshuffle reflects the government’s focus on revitalizing leadership across pivotal sectors including tourism, technology, culture, and commerce.
