Major reshuffle in MHA media wing; Nitin Wakankar is new spokesperson

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Almost the entire team looking after media at the strategic Home Ministry has been shifted and a fresh one led by senior Indian Information Service (IIS) officer Nitin D Wakankar was appointed on Friday, officials said. Wakankar replaces Vasudha Gupta, who has been shifted to Director General of the fact check unit working under the Press Information Bureau.

Wakankar, a Director General (DG) rank officer, has been shifted to the MHA from the Bureau of Outreach and Communications of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) where he was serving as the Director General. The reason for the transfer was not known immediately.

A 1989 batch IIS officer, Wakankar has served as spokesperson of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) besides having two stints as Deputy Press Secretary with Presidents A P J Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil.

He has also served as spokesperson of the Defence Ministry and also headed Mumbai region in various capacities during his career.

Rajkumar, another senior IIS officer, has been appointed in the media wing of the MHA as Additional Director General (ADG), according to an order issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Praveen Kavi, a Deputy Director, has been appointed in the media wing of the MHA. He has served in MHA earlier as well.

Amandeep Yadav, an Assistant Director, has also been appointed in the media wing of the MHA, the order said.

Two Deputy Director rank officials, Virat Majboor and Harit Shelat, have been shifted from the MHA media wing to All India Radio and Directorate of the Publication Division respectively.

Ankur Lahoty, an Assistant Director, has been appointed in Doordarshan (News), the order said.