Centre grants fifth extension to Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha
The Government of India has extended the tenure of Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha by one more year, until June 28, 2027. This marks his fifth extension in the position, according to a Personnel Ministry order issued on June 21, 2026.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the extension for a further period of one year beyond June 28, 2026, up to June 28, 2027.
Background and previous extensions
Kotecha, who originally served as a chief consultant at the Chakrapani Ayurveda Clinic in Jaipur, entered the civil service as a lateral entrant. He was first appointed as a Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ayush in June 2017 and later promoted to Secretary.
His prior extensions include two-year terms granted in 2020 and 2022, followed by one-year extensions in 2024 and 2025. His existing tenure was set to conclude on June 28, 2026.
Role of the Ministry of Ayush
The Ministry of Ayush was established on November 9, 2014, with the objective of reviving ancient Indian systems of medicine. It focuses on education and research in Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy.
Before the ministry's formation, the Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISM&H), created in 1995, was responsible for the development of these traditional medicine systems.
