IAS Officers Saurabh Vijay and Priyank Bharti Get Key Digital Governance Roles: UIDAI Chief Takes Charge of IndiaAI Mission, NIC DG Named Online Gaming Authority Chairperson
The Central Government has appointed UIDAI CEO Saurabh Vijay as the new CEO of the IndiaAI Mission and named NIC Director General Priyank Bharti as Chairperson of the Online Gaming Authority. Here’s a detailed look at the two senior IAS officers and their careers.
IAS Officers Saurabh Vijay and Priyank Bharti Get Key Digital Governance Roles: UIDAI Chief Takes Charge of IndiaAI Mission, NIC DG Named Online Gaming Authority Chairperson
In a significant move aimed at strengthening India’s rapidly expanding digital governance ecosystem, the Central Government has entrusted two senior IAS officers with crucial leadership responsibilities in emerging technology sectors. The appointments place experienced administrators at the helm of two areas that are expected to play an increasingly important role in India’s digital future—artificial intelligence and online gaming regulation.
The government has appointed Saurabh Vijay, the current Chief Executive Officer of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), as the new Chief Executive Officer of the IndiaAI Mission. At the same time, Priyank Bharti, Director General of the National Informatics Centre (NIC), has been named Chairperson of the Online Gaming Authority.
Both officers will continue to hold their existing positions while taking on their new responsibilities, ensuring continuity in leadership across some of the country’s most critical digital institutions.
The appointments arrive at a time when India is accelerating investments in artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure, data governance, cybersecurity, and regulatory oversight of online platforms. As policymakers seek to balance innovation with accountability, the choice of seasoned administrators signals the government’s intention to bring experienced leadership into these strategically important sectors.
Saurabh Vijay Takes Additional Charge of IndiaAI Mission
The Centre has assigned Saurabh Vijay (IAS:1998: Maharashtra cadre) the additional responsibility of serving as Chief Executive Officer of the IndiaAI Mission, one of the government’s flagship initiatives aimed at positioning India as a global leader in artificial intelligence.
The appointment comes after the CEO position remained vacant following the departure of former IndiaAI Mission chief Abhishek Singh, a senior IAS officer who played a key role in shaping the initiative during its formative phase.
With Vijay stepping in, the government hopes to maintain momentum behind a programme that has become central to India’s ambitions in emerging technologies.
The IndiaAI Mission is designed to create a robust ecosystem for AI research, innovation, infrastructure development, startup support, skill enhancement, and responsible deployment of artificial intelligence technologies. It is also expected to help build advanced computing capabilities, strengthen indigenous AI development, and encourage collaboration between government, industry, academia, and startups.
Given the growing global race for AI leadership, the role carries considerable strategic significance.
Who Is Saurabh Vijay?
Saurabh Vijay is a highly experienced IAS officer belonging to the 1998 batch of the Maharashtra cadre. Known for his extensive administrative background and policy expertise, he currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of UIDAI, the statutory authority responsible for managing Aadhaar, the world’s largest biometric identity programme.
He assumed charge as UIDAI CEO on May 18, 2026.
Academic Background
Born on February 28, 1975, Vijay hails from Rajasthan and possesses a strong technical foundation.
He graduated from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi with a Bachelor of Technology degree in Civil Engineering. His engineering education has often been viewed as an asset in handling complex governance and technology-driven assignments throughout his career.
Nearly Three Decades of Administrative Experience
Over a career spanning more than 28 years, Vijay has worked across a wide range of sectors including finance, development administration, tourism, education, healthcare, agriculture, and public policy.
His administrative journey has seen him occupy several high-profile positions in both the Maharashtra Government and the Government of India.
Among the major roles he has held are:
Principal Secretary (Expenditure), Finance Department, Government of Maharashtra
Principal Secretary and Development Commissioner, Maharashtra
Principal Secretary, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department
Secretary, Medical Education and Drugs Department
Secretary, Higher and Technical Education Department
Managing Director, Maharashtra Agro-Industrial Development Corporation (MAIDC)
Managing Director, Maharashtra State Seeds Corporation Limited (MSSCL)
His experience in managing large public-sector institutions and overseeing policy implementation has earned him a reputation as a capable administrator.
International and Central Government Exposure
One of the distinguishing aspects of Vijay’s career has been his extensive exposure to both national and international governance frameworks.
He has spent over 13 years on central deputation assignments and has worked closely with some of the country’s highest constitutional institutions.
His notable assignments include serving as:
Director in the President’s Secretariat
Advisor to the Executive Director at the World Bank in Washington D.C.
At the World Bank, he represented a constituency comprising India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka, giving him valuable international policy and development experience.
With this combination of technology, governance, finance, and international exposure, Vijay is expected to bring a broad strategic perspective to the IndiaAI Mission.
Priyank Bharti Appointed Chairperson of Online Gaming Authority
In another important appointment, the government has named Priyank Bharti (IAS:2001: Punjab cadre) as Chairperson of the Online Gaming Authority.
The appointment places Bharti at the forefront of India’s evolving regulatory framework for online gaming, a sector that has witnessed explosive growth over the past few years.
The online gaming industry has emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments of India’s digital economy. However, the rapid expansion has also raised concerns related to consumer protection, responsible gaming practices, cybersecurity, financial compliance, and regulatory oversight.
Against this backdrop, the Online Gaming Authority is expected to play a critical role in shaping governance standards for the sector.
Bharti will continue to serve as Director General of the National Informatics Centre while discharging his new responsibilities.
Who Is Priyank Bharti?
Priyank Bharti is a 2001-batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre and currently serves as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
He also heads the National Informatics Centre, the organisation responsible for building and maintaining much of the digital infrastructure that supports government services across India.
Educational Qualifications
Born on August 25, 1974, Bharti is originally from Delhi.
His educational credentials reflect a blend of technology and management expertise.
He holds:
Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
The combination of technical knowledge and managerial training has proven valuable throughout his administrative career, particularly in technology-focused assignments.
Rising Through the Ranks
Bharti’s career has included a diverse range of assignments spanning district administration, technology governance, environmental management, and public policy.
In May 2026, he was empanelled as Additional Secretary in the Government of India and appointed to a senior leadership role in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Around the same period, he also assumed full charge of the National Informatics Centre, one of the government’s most important digital institutions.
Key Assignments During His Career
Prior to moving to the Centre, Bharti served as Administrative Secretary of Punjab’s Department of Science, Technology and Environment.
He later received additional responsibility for the Department of Forests and Wildlife Preservation.
Over the years, he has held several significant field and policy positions, including:
Senior Directing Staff (Civil), National Defence College
Deputy Commissioner, Roop Nagar
Additional Deputy Commissioner
Sub-Divisional Magistrate
His work has spanned multiple governance domains and provided him with substantial experience in both grassroots administration and strategic policymaking.
Expertise Across Diverse Sectors
During more than 25 years in public service, Bharti has developed expertise in several important sectors, including:
Information Technology
Digital Governance
Land Revenue Administration
Environmental Management
Transport Administration
Public Policy and Institutional Governance
He has also spent more than eight years on central deputation assignments, contributing to technology and governance initiatives at the national level.
What These Appointments Mean for India’s Digital Future
The appointments of Saurabh Vijay and Priyank Bharti come at a pivotal moment for India’s digital transformation journey.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly emerging as a cornerstone of economic competitiveness, innovation, and national capability. Simultaneously, the online gaming industry is becoming a major contributor to the digital economy, creating new opportunities while presenting fresh regulatory challenges.
By assigning experienced administrators to these leadership roles, the government appears focused on ensuring that technological growth is accompanied by robust governance frameworks and institutional oversight.
As CEO of the IndiaAI Mission, Saurabh Vijay will help steer one of the country’s most ambitious technology initiatives. Meanwhile, Priyank Bharti’s appointment to lead the Online Gaming Authority places a seasoned digital governance expert in charge of a regulatory landscape that is still taking shape.
Taken together, these appointments underscore the government’s growing emphasis on technology-led governance and its commitment to building capable institutions for the digital age.
