Rajesh Pandey assumes charge as DVC’s 51st Chairman
Shri Rajesh Pandey, IAS, assumed charge as the 51st Chairman of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) on July 23, 2026.
Pandey succeeds to the leadership of one of India’s major integrated power utilities and brings nearly 31 years of experience in the civil services, spanning the power sector, public administration, consumer affairs, industry and cooperative governance.
Professional experience
Prior to joining DVC, Pandey served as Additional Chief Secretary in the Government of West Bengal, holding charge of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) & Textiles Department, Personnel & Administrative Reforms Department, Sports and Youth Services Department, and Co-operation Department. He has also served as Secretary of the Consumer Affairs Department.
Pandey has extensive experience in the power sector through his tenure as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL), a position he held for more than five years.
During this period, he additionally served as Chairman of New Town Electric Supply Co. Ltd. (NTESCL), Managing Director of West Bengal State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (WBSETCL), Director of Durgapur Projects Limited (DPL), and Member of the Governing Body of the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA).
His responsibilities included overseeing electricity distribution and transmission operations in West Bengal, as well as contributing to universal electrification initiatives and long-term power sector planning in the state.
Academic background
Pandey completed his B.Tech. (Hons.) in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, in 1993. He was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship for Leadership Development in 2008 and subsequently completed a Master’s in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University, United States, in 2010.
With his appointment, DVC enters a new phase of leadership at a time when the corporation continues to expand its generation, transmission and distribution activities across eastern India.
Photo credit: DVC/LinkedIn
