1993-batch bureaucrat Gagandeep Singh Bedi appointed Chennai Corporation Commissioner

CHENNAI: Senior IAS officer from the 1993 batch, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, has been appointed as the Chennai Corporation Commissioner by the DMK government, as the city finds itself in a tough spot battling the Covid-19 pandemic. 

According to a government order by Chief Secretary V Irani Anbu, Bedi, who was the Principal Secretary of the State Agricultural Department, will replace the outgoing Commissioner G Prakash, who held the post since 2019. 

Though Bedi is a very senior officer for the role of Corporation Commissioner, it appears that he has been appointed due to the Covid-19 crisis, given his expertise in handling natural disasters like the Tsunami and Cuddalore floods in the past. 

The order stated that the post of Principal Secretary/Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation will be equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre post of principal Secretary-cum-commissioner.

Who is Gagandeeph Singh Bedi?

Bedi was born in Hoshiarpur in Punjab in 1968 and has graduated in BE (Electronics and Electrical Communication) and later joined as a lecturer at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology. 

In 1993, he was selected for the Indian Engineering Services and got a posting in Indian Railways. Subsequently, in 1993, he was selected in the Indian Administrative Services and was allotted the Tamil Nadu cadre. 

Since then, Bedi, who is known to be an honest and straightforward officer, held many prominent positions like the Additional Collector, Cuddalore; Commissioner of Corporation, Madurai; Collector of Kanyakumari District and Cuddalore District. 

He was also the Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board and was Secretary for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department.

Bedi is known for his contribution to ecology and the environment and won the Green Award twice, in 2003 and 2004. As District Collector, he had promoted various Eco-Tourism projects and other environmental projects. 

Bedi also received applause for his services in flood mitigation during the Cuddalore floods in 2015. He also spearheaded the district's fight against Tsunami and he was appreciated for handling the crisis efficiently. 

He also received a national award in 2016 for implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme as Rural Development Department Secretary, from late Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Before taking over as the Chennai Corporation Commissioner, Bedi also served as the District Monitor Officer for Covid-19 in Cuddalore.