The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting accepted his resignation on December 3 and relieved him from all responsibilities with immediate effect.
In an unexpected move that surprised many in the broadcasting and administrative circles, Navneet Kumar Sehgal resigned from the post of Prasar Bharati Chairman on Wednesday. The decision came even though he still had more than a year left in his three-year term. His exit marks one of the most abrupt leadership changes at India’s public service broadcaster in recent years.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting accepted his resignation on December 3 and relieved him from all responsibilities with immediate effect. A formal communication issued by the ministry confirmed the development. The resignation letter, shared publicly on social media, further amplified the suddenness of his departure.
Sehgal’s appointment on March 16, 2024, ended a four-year period during which Prasar Bharati operated without a permanent chairman. His early exit has now reopened questions about stability and continuity at the country’s largest public broadcaster.
Navneet Kumar Sehgal is a retired 1988-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre. He retired from the civil services in 2023 as the Additional Chief Secretary for Sports and Youth Welfare in Uttar Pradesh. Over more than 35 years of service, he built a reputation as one of the state’s most experienced and influential administrators.
Before taking charge at Prasar Bharati, Sehgal held important positions in governance, infrastructure, public relations, tourism, MSME development, and energy reforms. His experience in policy-making and public communication made him a strong candidate for leading India’s public broadcaster.
As Chairman and CEO of the UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), Sehgal supervised the completion of the 302-km Agra-Lucknow Expressway in just 22 months — a record-setting pace for a project of that scale.
He served as Principal Secretary (Tourism) and later as Principal Secretary (MSME). During his MSME tenure, he supported the rollout of the flagship One District One Product (ODOP) scheme, which today stands as one of Uttar Pradesh’s most successful economic programmes.
Sehgal also played a significant role in power distribution reforms as Secretary (Energy). He contributed to large-scale capacity planning, metro rail projects, and policy collaborations with international development bodies.
For over 15 years, he handled key public communication roles, including serving as Secretary to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. His work in governance, information dissemination, and media coordination shaped his administrative identity.
Sehgal was chosen for the Prasar Bharati role by a high-level selection committee headed by the then Vice President. His selection was seen as a move to strengthen leadership at Doordarshan and Akashvani. His sudden resignation, therefore, has raised speculation about internal administrative changes, differences in approach, or restructuring plans within the organisation.
Neither the ministry nor Sehgal has officially explained the reason behind the resignation. With no successor announced yet, there is growing curiosity about who will take charge and how the transition will affect ongoing reforms in India’s public broadcasting system.
The government has not yet named the next Prasar Bharati chairman. Until an official announcement is made, the broadcaster is expected to continue functioning under its existing leadership structure. However, the sudden vacancy at the top has created an air of uncertainty about future strategy and direction.
