Ex Bureaucrat Navneet Kumar Sehgal Is New Prasar Bharati Chief

Retired bureaucrat Navneet Kumar Sehgal has been appointed as the new Prasar Bharati chairman, a post that was vacant for four years.

Mr Sehgal succeeds A Surya Prakash, whose term ended in February 2020 after he turned 70, the upper age limit for a person holding the post.

Mr Sehgal took charge on Saturday.

“…the President, on the recommendation of the Selection Committee, is pleased to appoint Shri Navneet Kumar Sehgal, IAS (retd) as the Chairman of the Prasar Bharati Board with effect from the date of his assuming charge of the post for a term of three years or until he attains the age of seventy years, whichever is earlier,” an order dated March 15, issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, said.

Mr Sehgal was a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre. He retired last year.

Mr Sehgal has handled key assignments in the Uttar Pradesh government and retired as the additional chief secretary, sports and youth welfare.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar chaired a meeting on Friday to select the chairman of the public broadcaster.

The vice president, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, heads the selection panel for the post of the Prasar Bharati chief. The chairperson of the Press Council of India (PCI) and a nominee of the president complete the three-member panel.

The meeting was attended by PCI Chairperson Justice (retired) Ranjana Desai and Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sanjay Jaju.