The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday appointed Nishant Kumar Yadav, a 2013-batch IAS officer as the new deputy commissioner (DC) of Chandigarh. He currently serves as Gurugram’s DC and will replace Vinay Pratap Singh from November, officials said.
Yadav’s prior roles include DC of Karnal, additional DC and Municipal Commissioner of Karnal, and sub-divisional magistrate of Sonepat. He also served as secretary of the Haryana Public Service Commission. (HT Archive)
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“The appointments committee of the cabinet approved the proposal of the Union home ministry for the appointment of Nishant Kumar Yadav to the post of Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh, on inter-cadre deputation from Haryana cadre to AGMUT cadre for a period of three years or until further orders, whichever is earliest,” the notification from the department stated.
The Haryana government had recommended a panel of three IAS officers for the post of Chandigarh DC. The list comprised Yadav, Ajay Kumar, a 2013-batch officer and Rohtak DC, and Manoj Kumar, a 2014-batch officer currently serving as the Sonepat DC.
Talking about his tenure in Gurugram, Yadav expressed, “Serving Gurugram has been both challenging and rewarding. During my tenure, two significant elections were conducted, and I am grateful for the support from the people and officials.”
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Yadav was appointed as Gurugram’s DC in February 2022, succeeding Yash Garg. His prior roles include DC of Karnal, additional DC and Municipal Commissioner of Karnal, and sub-divisional magistrate of Sonepat. He also served as secretary of the Haryana Public Service Commission.
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Yadav was appointed as Gurugram’s DC in February 2022, succeeding Yash Garg. His prior roles include DC of Karnal, additional DC and Municipal Commissioner of Karnal, and sub-divisional magistrate of Sonepat. He also served as secretary of the Haryana Public Service Commission.
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Singh is a 2011-batch IAS officer who has served as Chandigarh DC since 2021 and will complete his tenure in November. Sources indicated that Singh has been approved for central deputation, although his next posting is yet to be officially announced.
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest.
Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents.
Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure.
Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing.
Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity.
Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations.
Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling.
A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.
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