Harinder Hira is new Himachal CS

Harinder Hira, currently posted as additional chief secretary, has been appointed the new chief secretary of Himachal Pradesh.

Harinder Hira, a 1976-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, will be the new chief secretary of Himachal Pradesh in place of Rajwant Sandhu who retired on Saturday. She is the third successive woman officer appointed to the top administrative post in the state

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Hira, however, will have a short tenure as she is retiring next month.

Brought up in this Himachal Pradesh town, she has also served with the Election Commission of India as deputy election commissioner on deputation.

Sandhu was appointed chief secretary on August 1, 2010, on the superannuation of Asha Swarup.

With Hira's retirement next month, the race for the new chief secretary has already begun. The top contenders are Ashok Thakur, a 1977-batch IAS officer currently on central deputation, and Sudripto Roy, additional chief secretary (forests).