Maharashtra IAS Reshuffle: Sanjay Khandare Gets Forest Department, Sanjay Yadav Tourism Charge
The Maharashtra government has carried out a fresh administrative reshuffle involving three Indian Administrative Service officers, assigning them new responsibilities across the Forest, Tourism and divisional administration departments. The changes involve senior officers Sanjay Khandare, Sanjay Yadav and Vaishnavi B, with the transfer orders issued by the Maharashtra General Administration Department on October 5, 2026.
The latest reshuffle brings changes at different levels of the state administration. While 1996-batch IAS officer Sanjay Khandare has been moved from the Tourism Department to the Forest Department, 2009-batch officer Sanjay Yadav has been shifted from the education sector and appointed to the Tourism Department. Meanwhile, 2019-batch IAS officer Vaishnavi B has been posted as Additional Divisional Commissioner of Nagpur Division.
Sanjay Khandare Moves From Tourism to Forest Department
Among the key changes in the latest order is the appointment of Sanjay Khandare, IAS: 1996: Maharashtra cadre, as Additional Chief Secretary of the Forest Department. Khandare was earlier serving as Additional Chief Secretary of the Tourism Department and will now take charge of the Forest Department at Mantralaya in Mumbai.
The move places Khandare at the helm of a department that deals with a wide range of issues involving forests, wildlife, conservation, environmental management and the administration of forest resources across Maharashtra. The Forest Department also has an extensive field-level administrative structure, making the Additional Chief Secretary’s position an important one within the state government.
Khandare is a senior Maharashtra-cadre IAS officer with considerable administrative experience. His latest assignment marks a shift from tourism administration to the forest and environment-related administrative framework of the state.
Khandare’s Educational Background
Sanjay Khandare holds a B.Tech degree in Agricultural Engineering and a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from NITIE Mumbai. His academic background combines engineering and management-oriented training, while his long career in the Indian Administrative Service has exposed him to a wide range of government responsibilities.
As a 1996-batch officer, Khandare has served in the Maharashtra administration for several decades and has handled responsibilities at senior levels. His previous role as Additional Chief Secretary in the Tourism Department placed him in charge of a key sector associated with tourism policy, promotion, infrastructure and coordination with various stakeholders.
With the latest order, he will now be responsible for the Forest Department, where the administrative agenda is substantially different and involves coordination across state-level and field-level offices.
Sanjay Yadav Appointed Tourism Secretary
The Tourism Department will now have Sanjay Yadav, IAS: 2009: Maharashtra cadre, as its Secretary at Mantralaya. Yadav was previously serving as the State Project Director of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan in Mumbai.
His appointment represents a move from the education sector to tourism administration. As Secretary, Tourism, Yadav will be responsible for a department that plays a role in developing and implementing tourism-related policies and programmes across Maharashtra.
Tourism is an important part of Maharashtra’s broader economic and cultural landscape. The state has a diverse range of destinations, including historic sites, religious centres, coastal areas, hill stations, wildlife destinations and major urban attractions. The department works with various government bodies and stakeholders on tourism development, promotion and related infrastructure.
Yadav’s appointment therefore brings a senior administrative officer with experience in the education sector into a different policy environment. His previous role as State Project Director of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan involved responsibilities connected with the implementation of a major education programme.
From Samagra Shiksha to Tourism Administration
As State Project Director of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan in Mumbai, Yadav was associated with the administration and implementation of education-related programmes. The move to the Tourism Department now gives him responsibility for a different area of state policy.
His appointment as Secretary, Tourism, places him in a senior position within the department at Mantralaya. The posting also comes as the state administration continues to reorganise responsibilities among senior IAS officers according to administrative requirements.
The latest transfer order confirms that Yadav belongs to the 2009 batch of the Maharashtra cadre. His career in the state administration has included responsibilities associated with government programme implementation, and his new assignment expands his administrative portfolio into tourism.
Vaishnavi B Posted as Additional Divisional Commissioner in Nagpur
The third officer affected by the reshuffle is Vaishnavi B, IAS: 2019: Maharashtra cadre. She has been transferred and posted as Additional Divisional Commissioner, Nagpur Division, giving her a new responsibility within the divisional administrative structure of the state.
The post of Additional Divisional Commissioner involves coordination and supervision of various administrative matters at the divisional level. Divisional administration serves as an important link between the state government and district-level administration, bringing together several districts under a broader administrative framework.
Nagpur Division is one of Maharashtra’s important administrative divisions. The Additional Divisional Commissioner works within the divisional administration and coordinates with district authorities and other government departments on matters falling within the division’s jurisdiction.
Vaishnavi B’s appointment therefore marks a move into a significant field administration role. Her previous experience includes serving as Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishad, Akola, among other assignments.
Vaishnavi B Brings District-Level Experience
Her previous posting as CEO of Zilla Parishad, Akola, gave Vaishnavi B experience in district-level administration and rural development-related responsibilities. Zilla Parishad administration involves a wide range of functions, including implementation of government schemes and coordination of development programmes at the district level.
The move to Additional Divisional Commissioner in Nagpur gives her responsibility at a higher administrative level covering a wider geographical area. Her experience in district administration will be relevant as she takes on the new assignment and works with officials across the division.
As a 2019-batch IAS officer, Vaishnavi B is considerably junior in service to Khandare and Yadav, but her new posting represents an important responsibility within the state’s administrative structure.
Three Officers, Three Key Administrative Assignments
The latest Maharashtra reshuffle brings together three distinctly different administrative movements. Khandare moves from Tourism to Forest at the Additional Chief Secretary level, Yadav moves from education programme administration to Tourism as Secretary, and Vaishnavi B shifts from district-level responsibilities to the post of Additional Divisional Commissioner in Nagpur.
The changes also highlight the wide range of roles handled by IAS officers during their careers. Officers can move between departments with very different mandates, taking their administrative experience from one sector to another while adapting to new policy priorities and operational requirements.
For Khandare, the immediate focus will shift toward the Forest Department after his tenure in Tourism. For Yadav, the new challenge will be managing the Tourism Department at the state headquarters in Mantralaya. Vaishnavi B, meanwhile, will take on broader divisional responsibilities in Nagpur after her previous district-level assignment.
Orders Issued by Maharashtra General Administration Department
The transfer orders were issued by the Maharashtra General Administration Department on October 5, 2026. The department is responsible for a range of personnel and administrative matters concerning the state government and its senior officials.
The latest changes are part of the regular administrative process through which the state government allocates responsibilities among its officers. Such transfers can bring changes in departmental leadership while ensuring that experienced officers are deployed in positions according to the government’s administrative requirements.
The three postings span important areas of governance, including forest administration, tourism development and divisional administration. Each assignment carries a different set of responsibilities, making the reshuffle notable across multiple parts of the Maharashtra government.
With Sanjay Khandare taking charge of the Forest Department, Sanjay Yadav moving into Tourism and Vaishnavi B assuming responsibility as Additional Divisional Commissioner in Nagpur, the latest order brings a clear redistribution of senior administrative responsibilities across the state.
