Historic Firsts: With Sujata Saunik as Chief Secretary, Two of Maharashtra's Top Posts are Now Held by Women

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Senior IAS officer Sujata Saunik is the first woman to hold the position of Maharashtra Chief Secretary. Her appointment comes months after senior IPS officer Rashmi Shukla became the first woman to lead the Maharashtra Police

After the appointment of senior IPS officer Rashmi Shukla as the Director General of Maharashtra Police, the Mahayuti government in the state has appointed senior IAS officer Sujata Saunik as the Chief Secretary, underscoring its commitment to empower women to the top jobs.

Sujata Saunik, a 1987 batch officer, was previously the Additional Chief Secretary handling the Home Department. She began her career as Assistant Commissioner of the Aurangabad corporation, and in 1989, she took on the full-time role of Commissioner.

Saunik gained prominence during this period by peacefully resolving communal violence in Aurangabad, now known as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. She later served as Deputy Collector in Jalana district and held various other significant positions within the Maharashtra government. Notably, her husband, Manoj Saunik, had also served as the state’s Chief Secretary, making them the first couple to hold this position.

Saunik also has international experience as a Municipal Administrator and Civil Affairs Officer for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and as an Election Monitor for Cambodia. With over three decades of experience in public policy and governance across healthcare, finance, education, disaster management, and peacekeeping, her appointment aligns with the Mahayuti government’s mission to empower women, as reflected in the recent budget that had several schemes for women.

Earlier this year, Rashmi Shukla, a senior IPS officer from the 1988 batch, was tapped to lead the Maharashtra State Police as the DGP. Shukla is the first woman to hold this position, known for her relentless fight against organised crime and her proactive measures to ensure public safety, particularly for women and children. Prior to this, she was the Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal on deputation.

Her career, however, has not been without controversy. During the Maha Vikas Aaghadi regime, she was investigated for allegedly tapping the phones of political leaders during the Shiv Sena-BJP rule from 2014-2019.

With these appointments, Maharashtra now has two women in top leadership roles, setting a powerful example of gender equality and women’s empowerment.