Board of Directors

Shri Manoj Kumar Das, IAS, (Gujarat Cadre, 1990 Batch), had assumed charge as the 33^rd Chief Secretary to the Government of Gujarat on 31^st October 2025 . He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, from where he earned a B.Tech. in Computer Science. He brings with him over three decades of distinguished service in public administration covering diverse experience spanning over Industrial Development, Revenue Administration, Urban Management, Law & Order, and Disaster Management. He is widely recognized for his strategic vision, administrative acumen and commitment to inclusive and sustainable development in Gujarat.

Throughout his distinguished career, he has made significant contributions to policy formulation, governance, and institutional development at both the State and Central levels. He has served in key positions including District Collector of Porbandar, Banaskantha and Surat, Municipal Commissioner of Surat and Vadodara and Director (J&K Affairs) in Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

He has also held senior roles such as Principal Secretary, Industries and Mines department; Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue, Ports & Transport, Panchayat & Rural Development and Home Departments and served as Additional Chief Secretary to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat during two tenures (2017-2021 and 2024-2025).

In addition, he has played a key role in Gujarat’s corporate and infrastructure sectors, serving as Joint Managing Director, GSPC, and Director on the Boards of GSPL, GSPC LNG and Gujarat State Police Housing Corp. Ltd.

As a Chief Secretary, he leads the State’s administrative machinery and chairs/had chaired major PSUs including GSPC Group Companies, GSFC, GNFC, and GSPL, where he also held/holds additional charge as Chairman and Managing Director.

Under the leadership of Shri Manoj Kumar Das, IAS, the State administration continues to emphasize good governance, transparency, and citizen-centric service delivery. He has played a pivotal role in promoting industrial growth, sustainable development and technology-driven governance across key sectors. Known for his strategic foresight and collaborative approach, he has consistently worked to strengthen the State’s institutional capacity and accelerate inclusive socio-economic progress.

His career exemplifies administrative excellence, visionary leadership and an unwavering commitment to public service, driving Gujarat’s continued progress in economic, industrial, infrastructural, and social development.

Dr. T Natarajan, IAS, has completed his graduation in Mining Engineering from college of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University in Tamil Nadu and M.B.A. in Finance from Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Tamil Nadu, India. Later, he acquired additional education qualifications including Masters in International Development at Duke University in USA.

Dr. T. Natarajan, IAS, is a 1996 batch Indian Administrative Officer from Gujarat Cadre. He held range of responsibilities in Gujarat Government including District Collector and District Development Officer. He has served in the departments of Finance, Revenue, Industry & Mining and Technical Education and held leadership positions in Public Sector Undertakings.

Dr. T. Natarajan, IAS was entrusted with the responsibility of Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of India in the International Monetary Fund at Washington DC by the Government of India. He also served as Additional Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs in Government of India. Before the current assignment as Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department, Government of Gujarat, he served as Additional Secretary (Defence Production), Ministry of Defence in Government of India.

Shri Ashwini Kumar, IAS is a senior Indian Administrative Service officer of the Gujarat cadre with over 29 years of experience in public administration. Over the course of his career, he has been entrusted with diverse and responsible assignments across the State administration contributing to Policy Formulation, Programme Implementation and Institutional Governance.

He has served in several key Departments of the Government of Gujarat, including district administration, secretariat-level policy roles and leadership positions in Public Sector Undertakings and statutory bodies. His work has focused on strengthening administrative systems, improving service delivery, and supporting infrastructure-led and sustainable economic development.

Notable contributions during his tenure include effective implementation of government programmes, oversight of large public projects and strengthening governance and financial discipline in public institutions. His experience spans field administration as well as senior decision-making roles involving coordination with multiple stakeholders.

As a Director and Chairman on the boards of various Public Sector Undertakings, strategic oversight has been provided in areas such as corporate governance, financial prudence, regulatory compliance and long-term institutional planning in alignment with guidelines of Government of India and Government of Gujarat.

Known for a balanced, process-oriented and outcome-driven administrative approach, Shri Ashwini Kumar, IAS, continues to contribute to the effective functioning of public institutions and the socio-economic development of the State.

Currently serving as the Principal Secretary to the Energy and Petrochemicals Department, he has earlier been appointed as the Principal Secretary to the Urban Development & Urban Housing Department and has also been designated as the Principal Secretary for Sports, Art, Culture and Youth Affairs and Secretary to Hon’ble Chief Minister, Gujarat, for over 5 year.

Gauri Kumar is a retired member of the 1979 batch of Indian Administrative Services (IAS). She retired as Secretary (Coordination and Public Grievances), Cabinet Secretariat in 2015 and served as Member/Chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board from 2015-18, post her retirement. In the course of her distinguished career, she has been a former Secretary in the union Ministry of Labour and Employment as well as in the Ministry of Home Affairs (Border Management) (2013-15). She has served as Special/Additional Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor, Ministry of Environment and Forests (2010-13). She has also been Principal Secretary, Urban Development (2009-10); Principal Secretary, Industries & Mines (2008-09), Industries Commissioner (2007-08) and Secretary, Education Department (2000-02) in Government of Gujarat. She also held the position of Director General, National Institute of Fashion and Technology, Ministry of Textiles (2002-07).

Gauri Kumar holds a degree of BSc in Physics, Mathematics and Statistics from Allahabad University. She completed her MSc in Mathematics from Lucknow University and was awarded seven gold medals in the course of her studies for exceptional academic distinction. She also has a Master in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. As a fellow of the Edward G. Mason Program in Public Policy and Management, she was awarded the Littauer Fellowship by Harvard for commitment to excellence, academic achievement and public service.

At present she is Director on the Board of Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited, Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited, Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Limited, GCAP World Softech Private Limited, TVS Supply Chain Solutions Limited & TVS Supply Chain Solutions North America Inc., USA (Foreign company).

Ms. Vanaja N Sarna, IRS (Retd.) has done B.A. (Hons) Psychology, Diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication, LLB from Delhi University and Masters Diploma in Public Administration. 

She is a Retired Indian Revenue Service Officer of 1980 Batch and has served the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) in several capacities for more than 37 years including as Chairman of the Central Board of Excise And Customs and as the first Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.  She was posted in Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax formations in Kochi, Delhi, Chennai, Meerut, Chandigarh and Bangalore. She was also Additional Director General in the Directorate General of Revenue Intelligence, New Delhi. She also served on deputation as Under Secretary, Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and as Director/ Joint Secretary in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. She was also Director General of Vigilance and Chief Vigilance Officer of her Department. After her retirement from the Indian Revenue Service, she was appointed as Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission (CIC) from January, 2019 to June, 2023.

Shri Jayant Misra, IRS (Retd.) is a Revenue Service Officer of 1981 batch. He is an MBA in Finance and LLB from Delhi University. He also holds an MA degree in History and BSc in Physics. 

He has been Member and Chairman, Settlement Commission for Indirect Taxes, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance from 2017-19, and has held important assignments including Director General of Revenue Intelligence, Director General (Systems), Director General (GST), Chief Commissioner of Vadodara Zone, Commissioner, Jaipur, Gurugram, Delhi, and ICD Tughlakabad, among many others. He has been on deputation to the Ministry of Commerce as Development Commissioner, SEZ and Chairman NOIDA SEZ Authority, and Officer OSD in Rajya Sabha at the level of Director and Joint Secretary. He is widely travelled and has participated in several multilateral negotiations. He has extensive administrative, legislative, dispute resolution and intelligence gathering experience. He taught at Allahabad University before joining the Government of India in 1981. He has been the Member of the Executive Council of the MP-Institute of Defense Studies and Analyses and is a Distinguished Fellow of United Service Institution of India.

He is also a specialist on non-traditional security threats such as drug trafficking, money laundering, illicit financial flows and terror financing. In 2019, he joined as an International Consultant, Law Enforcement, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – Regional Office South Asia.

Prof. Vishal Gupta (DIN: 06405808) holds a B.E. (Hons.) in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from BITS-Pilani, Rajasthan, and a Doctorate in Human Resource Management from IIM Lucknow.

Prof. Vishal Gupta is a Professor in the Organizational Behaviour Area at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. His areas of teaching and research include leadership development, compensation and performance management, motivation, emotional intelligence, decision-making, organizational justice, creativity & innovation management and R&D management.

Prof. Gupta served as an Independent Director on the Board of Gujarat Gas Limited from August 2017 to August 2021. At present he is an Independent Director on the Board of Gujarat Industries Power Company Limited.

Smt. Avantika Singh Aulakh, IAS, is a senior officer of the 2003 batch. She was the Additional Principal Secretary to Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat.

She has done B.E. (Instrumentation & Control Engg.) from Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology Delhi and Masters in Public Administration from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Throughout her two-decade long career in Civil Services, she has held various crucial administrative positions in the Government of Gujarat. She has served as District Collector in multiple districts including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Bharuch, and Anand. She has been accorded the Best District Collector award for Vadodara district (2015-16) and Bharuch district (2012-13) by the State Government. She has also served as District Development Officer in Anand, Gandhinagar districts and as Deputy Secretary, Energy and Petrochemicals Dept. and Director of Petroleum in the State Government.

She received the National Award for Best Electoral Practices in 2012 and 2017 from the Election Commission of India. As Collector Ahmedabad, she also received the National Level Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme award from Government of India in 2018.

Her diverse experience includes serving as Vice Chairman & CEO of Gujarat Maritime Board, CEO of Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board, MD of Gujarat Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited and Director of Technical Education, reflecting her versatility in handling both infrastructure development and educational initiatives. She has enhanced her expertise through numerous specialized training programs in fiscal policy, public-private partnerships and project management.

She has held directorial positions on the boards of several prominent companies, including Gujarat Pipavav Port Limited, GSPC LNG Limited and Dholera International Airport Company Limited.

Presently, she is also serving as Managing Director of Gujarat Energy Limited (erstwhile Gujarat Gas Limited) and Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited. She had served as the Joint Managing Director of erstwhile Gujarat State Petronet Limited.