Kargil, Dec 24: Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Kargil, District Administration, and District Police Kargil jointly organised a farewell in honour of senior IAS officer Dr Pawan Kotwal , the outgoing Chief Secretary, Union Territory of Ladakh, on the occasion of his superannuation, at Hotel The Kargil.
Dr Pawan Kotwal joined the Administration of Ladakh on 12 April 2021 as Principal Secretary, holding charge of key departments including Planning, Development & Monitoring, Health & Medical Education, Forest, Ecology & Environment, and Revenue. He later assumed charge as Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor, UT Ladakh, on 9 June 2023.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, redesignated the post of Advisor to Lieutenant Governor as Chief Secretary, UT Ladakh on 12 February 2025, making Dr Kotwal the first Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor (CEC), LAHDC Kargil, congratulated Dr Kotwal on his superannuation and recalled his long association with him since he was working as professional doctor in health department in erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The CEC praised Dr Kotwal’s cordial, people-friendly nature and highlighted that he always treated both districts—Leh and Kargil—equally, steering them on a common path towards the holistic development of Ladakh without regional bias. The CEC also recalled Dr Kotwal’s active role and Ladakh-centric vision during meetings of the MHA High-Power Committee advocating for Ladakh’s benefit. He stated that governance was strengthened through structural reforms focused on accessibility and inclusion, and highlighted the announcement of five new districts—Drass, Zanskar, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang—in 2024 as one of the major achievements under his guidance. The CEC added that Dr Kotwal’s services as the first Chief Secretary of Ladakh would be remembered in golden words, and wished him and his family a healthy and prosperous post-retirement life.
Speaking on the occasion, Member of Parliament, Ladakh, Haji Hanifa Jan, said that Dr Pawan Kotwal played a pivotal role during the foundational phase of the new UT of Ladakh, administering key departments such as Health, Revenue, Planning, and Ecology & Environment in various administrative capacities. He stated that his overall contribution to the development of Ladakh would be remembered for decades by the people of the region.
While addressing the gathering, Chief Secretary Dr Pawan Kotwal thanked LAHDC Kargil, the District Administration, and District Police Kargil for organising the farewell on the occasion of his superannuation. He said that being one of the first apex officials after formation of UT Ladakh, he had witnessed a remarkable transformation in developmental activities since its formation. He noted that, despite challenges, UT Ladakh has now reached a stable position to deliver efficient government services to the people.
Deputy Commissioner, Kargil, in his address, said that under the leadership of Dr Pawan Kotwal, Ladakh achieved significant milestones, fostering growth, development, and prosperity. He described the digitization of land records as one of the pioneering achievements of UT Ladakh under his leadership, along with numerous developmental works including road development, hospital upgradation, sanctioning of new tunnels, ensuring a fair recruitment process, and other infrastructure projects.