Profiling the man in Ajay Kumar Bhalla the named Governor of Manipur
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Ananya Bhardwaj
Former Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who has extensive experience in managing crisis situations, was appointed Tuesday as the new Governor of Manipur, where violence still continues 18 months after it first began, leaving over 250 people dead and more than 50,000 displaced.
Bhalla, a 1984 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, retired in August 2024. He was the Union Home Secretary when the violence began on 3 May, 2023. He will take over from Lakshman Prasad Acharya, who, as the Governor of Assam, was assigned additional charge of the strife-torn State.
This appointment is being seen as a significant move to deal with the crisis in the State. Manipur remains on edge despite the heavy deployment of Central security forces and the partial reimposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in certain areas.
The State has been plagued by cycles of violence and brief periods of calm are shattered by sudden attacks, arson, and loss of life. Furthermore, extortion is rampant, the sale and purchase of illegal arms continue unchecked, and law and order are in disarray.
With this appointment, the team appointed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah will get total control of the State’s affairs. The team includes Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar, and Security Adviser Kuldeip Singh. The senior officers, although officially appointed by the State, are effectively Centre nominees.
Even the Unified Command, which reports to the State’s Chief Minister, is currently under Kuldeip Singh. The Unified Command is meant to ensure coordination between the different forces, including the police, Army, Assam Rifles, and various Central Armed Police Forces.
This has been a point of contention with Chief Minister Biren Singh and his 27 MLAs, in September this year, demanding that the control of the Unified Command be given to the CM.
‘He will take a different approach’
Officers in the Ministry of Home Affairs said Bhalla is expected to take a “different approach” and use his extensive experience to find a solution. He may also be able to convince the two warring factions—the Kukis and the Meiteis—to come to the table for a possible dialogue.
He has handled several crises in the past, including the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir—which bifurcated the State, with Ladakh becoming a separate Union Territory—the Citizenship Amendment Act protests, North East Delhi riots, and the COVID-19 pandemic. He also has experience keeping Left-Wing Extremism in check.
After four extensions, Bhalla’s tenure as Union Home Secretary ended in August this year, making him the longest-serving Home Secretary after Lallan Prasad Singh, who had retired from office in January 1971 after being in the post for six years.
Speaking to ThePrint, a senior officer in Manipur said that Bhalla’s appointment “should help” address the crisis in the State since he has been aware of the problem and its complexities from the very beginning. He had also been in direct touch with officers on the ground till a few months ago.
“He has been deeply associated with the operations in the State and has been keeping a day-to-day track of the security situation,” the officer said.
“He has a hands-on approach, understands the complexities of the area, and also has a good relationship with the Central leadership, which is why he would be able to convey the problems in the State accurately. We expect that he would be able to provide feedback and guide the Centre on resolving the crisis,” the officer added.
A retired officer, however, had a different view. “If nothing significant could be achieved while he was the Home Secretary and had all the powers, we are not sure what more he can do as a Governor. It’s not as if he had fewer or restricted powers then. This crisis needs a political solution.”
In a post on X, former diplomat and strategic affairs expert KC Singh said that Bhalla’s appointment could be seen as a “sign” that the President’s Rule would be imposed soon.
Eventful tenure : Bhalla had one of the most eventful tenures as Home Secretary. He oversaw the entire security situation in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, taking charge just days after the decision.
“He was the point person who managed the entire deployment of security forces and devised a detailed plan to ensure that violence was contained,” a senior officer in the Home Ministry recalled.
“He meticulously handled every detail to ensure no lives were lost. More importantly, he ensured that the security forces worked in close coordination to prevent incidents of stone-pelting, and incidents of terror. The data reflects this success—terror incidents are now at an all-time low, and fresh recruitments into terror ranks have dropped significantly,” the officer added.
Soon after the abrogation, Bhalla had another task at hand—keep a watch on the protests across States, including Delhi, after the Government brought in the Citizenship Amendment Act. They also led to the February 2020 riots in Northeast Delhi in which more than 50 lives were lost.
Just a month into his tenure, the COVID-19 pandemic struck and Bhalla once again found himself at the centre of critical action. He was appointed as the chief nodal authority, responsible for overseeing the Nationwide lockdown and drafting guidelines for the States.
During this period, the Union Home Ministry’s office in the North Block was transformed into a war room to tackle the pandemic.
“At that time, there were over 50 phone lines, multiple screens, 10-hour work shifts for top civil servants, and 12-hour shifts for Ministers of State, who even slept in their offices. Mr Bhalla was overseeing the entire operation. This was uncharted territory for everyone, but his presence of mind and practical approach ensured everything was managed effectively,” a senior officer recalled.
Speaking to ThePrint, another officer said, “Although there was criticism of the Government’s handling of the lockdown, particularly regarding the reverse migration of labourers, it was handled cautiously. Bhalla’s willingness to listen to feedback and incorporate ideas from his officers into actionable strategies has always made him a respected and popular leader.”
In the same year, the farmers’ protests erupted amid the pandemic, presenting yet another significant law and order challenge. With intelligence inputs suggesting the infiltration of Sikh separatist elements into the protests, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) swung into action.
“He has certainly not had a calm year,” remarked an officer.
“Throughout his tenure, he has dealt with extremely tricky and high-pressure situations that would intimidate even the most experienced individuals. But his practical mindset, clarity of thought, and sharp acumen for understanding complex and diverse issues have been his biggest strengths,” the officer added
‘Assignments in Northeast, MPhil in Social Sciences’
Bhalla has also handled various assignments in the cadre in Assam and Meghalaya.
He has an MSc (Botany) from the University of Delhi and an MBA from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He has also earned an MPhil in (Social Sciences) from Punjab University.
He was a Secretary in the Power Ministry in 2017 and the Director General of Foreign Trade in 2016 with the additional charge of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT).
In 2015, he was the Additional Secretary in the Commerce Department.
The same year, Bhalla was appointed as the Joint Secretary, and Additional Secretary in the Coal Ministry, where he dealt with the allocation and allotment of coal blocks.
Between 2002 and 2005, he was also the Director (Ports) in the Department of Shipping and looked after the port operations and Human Resource Development (HRD) matters for all the major ports in the country. Subsequently, he worked as Joint Secretary (Ports) from April 2005 to May 2007 in the same department, looking after port development, port operations, and HRD matters related to major ports.
The Print
Former Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who has extensive experience in managing crisis situations, was appointed Tuesday as the new Governor of Manipur, where violence still continues 18 months after it first began, leaving over 250 people dead and more than 50,000 displaced.
Bhalla, a 1984 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, retired in August 2024. He was the Union Home Secretary when the violence began on 3 May, 2023. He will take over from Lakshman Prasad Acharya, who, as the Governor of Assam, was assigned additional charge of the strife-torn State.
This appointment is being seen as a significant move to deal with the crisis in the State. Manipur remains on edge despite the heavy deployment of Central security forces and the partial reimposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in certain areas.
The State has been plagued by cycles of violence and brief periods of calm are shattered by sudden attacks, arson, and loss of life. Furthermore, extortion is rampant, the sale and purchase of illegal arms continue unchecked, and law and order are in disarray.
With this appointment, the team appointed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah will get total control of the State’s affairs. The team includes Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar, and Security Adviser Kuldeip Singh. The senior officers, although officially appointed by the State, are effectively Centre nominees.
Even the Unified Command, which reports to the State’s Chief Minister, is currently under Kuldeip Singh. The Unified Command is meant to ensure coordination between the different forces, including the police, Army, Assam Rifles, and various Central Armed Police Forces.
This has been a point of contention with Chief Minister Biren Singh and his 27 MLAs, in September this year, demanding that the control of the Unified Command be given to the CM.
‘He will take a different approach’
Officers in the Ministry of Home Affairs said Bhalla is expected to take a “different approach” and use his extensive experience to find a solution. He may also be able to convince the two warring factions—the Kukis and the Meiteis—to come to the table for a possible dialogue.
He has handled several crises in the past, including the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir—which bifurcated the State, with Ladakh becoming a separate Union Territory—the Citizenship Amendment Act protests, North East Delhi riots, and the COVID-19 pandemic. He also has experience keeping Left-Wing Extremism in check.
After four extensions, Bhalla’s tenure as Union Home Secretary ended in August this year, making him the longest-serving Home Secretary after Lallan Prasad Singh, who had retired from office in January 1971 after being in the post for six years.
Speaking to ThePrint, a senior officer in Manipur said that Bhalla’s appointment “should help” address the crisis in the State since he has been aware of the problem and its complexities from the very beginning. He had also been in direct touch with officers on the ground till a few months ago.
“He has been deeply associated with the operations in the State and has been keeping a day-to-day track of the security situation,” the officer said.
“He has a hands-on approach, understands the complexities of the area, and also has a good relationship with the Central leadership, which is why he would be able to convey the problems in the State accurately. We expect that he would be able to provide feedback and guide the Centre on resolving the crisis,” the officer added.
A retired officer, however, had a different view. “If nothing significant could be achieved while he was the Home Secretary and had all the powers, we are not sure what more he can do as a Governor. It’s not as if he had fewer or restricted powers then. This crisis needs a political solution.”
In a post on X, former diplomat and strategic affairs expert KC Singh said that Bhalla’s appointment could be seen as a “sign” that the President’s Rule would be imposed soon.
Eventful tenure : Bhalla had one of the most eventful tenures as Home Secretary. He oversaw the entire security situation in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, taking charge just days after the decision.
“He was the point person who managed the entire deployment of security forces and devised a detailed plan to ensure that violence was contained,” a senior officer in the Home Ministry recalled.
“He meticulously handled every detail to ensure no lives were lost. More importantly, he ensured that the security forces worked in close coordination to prevent incidents of stone-pelting, and incidents of terror. The data reflects this success—terror incidents are now at an all-time low, and fresh recruitments into terror ranks have dropped significantly,” the officer added.
Soon after the abrogation, Bhalla had another task at hand—keep a watch on the protests across States, including Delhi, after the Government brought in the Citizenship Amendment Act. They also led to the February 2020 riots in Northeast Delhi in which more than 50 lives were lost.
Just a month into his tenure, the COVID-19 pandemic struck and Bhalla once again found himself at the centre of critical action. He was appointed as the chief nodal authority, responsible for overseeing the Nationwide lockdown and drafting guidelines for the States.
During this period, the Union Home Ministry’s office in the North Block was transformed into a war room to tackle the pandemic.
“At that time, there were over 50 phone lines, multiple screens, 10-hour work shifts for top civil servants, and 12-hour shifts for Ministers of State, who even slept in their offices. Mr Bhalla was overseeing the entire operation. This was uncharted territory for everyone, but his presence of mind and practical approach ensured everything was managed effectively,” a senior officer recalled.
Speaking to ThePrint, another officer said, “Although there was criticism of the Government’s handling of the lockdown, particularly regarding the reverse migration of labourers, it was handled cautiously. Bhalla’s willingness to listen to feedback and incorporate ideas from his officers into actionable strategies has always made him a respected and popular leader.”
In the same year, the farmers’ protests erupted amid the pandemic, presenting yet another significant law and order challenge. With intelligence inputs suggesting the infiltration of Sikh separatist elements into the protests, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) swung into action.
“He has certainly not had a calm year,” remarked an officer.
“Throughout his tenure, he has dealt with extremely tricky and high-pressure situations that would intimidate even the most experienced individuals. But his practical mindset, clarity of thought, and sharp acumen for understanding complex and diverse issues have been his biggest strengths,” the officer added
‘Assignments in Northeast, MPhil in Social Sciences’
Bhalla has also handled various assignments in the cadre in Assam and Meghalaya.
He has an MSc (Botany) from the University of Delhi and an MBA from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He has also earned an MPhil in (Social Sciences) from Punjab University.
He was a Secretary in the Power Ministry in 2017 and the Director General of Foreign Trade in 2016 with the additional charge of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT).
In 2015, he was the Additional Secretary in the Commerce Department.
The same year, Bhalla was appointed as the Joint Secretary, and Additional Secretary in the Coal Ministry, where he dealt with the allocation and allotment of coal blocks.
Between 2002 and 2005, he was also the Director (Ports) in the Department of Shipping and looked after the port operations and Human Resource Development (HRD) matters for all the major ports in the country. Subsequently, he worked as Joint Secretary (Ports) from April 2005 to May 2007 in the same department, looking after port development, port operations, and HRD matters related to major ports.
The Print