Rohini Bhajibhakare is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer with over 18 years of experience in public administration. She is currently serving as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, contributing to policy formulation for Sustainable and Inclusive growth of Rural India.
Having served in the Ministry of Education, Government of India and in the southern State of Tamil Nadu across diverse sectors including law and order management, urban and rural development, public health, education, women and child development, infrastructure, governance, agriculture, and climate action, she is known for her people-centric and innovative approach to governance.
Rohini was featured in the National Geographic documentary- The Great Indian Elections as one of the "Heroes of Democracy." She is a recipient of several national awards, holds a Guinness World Record, and is a Chevening Fellow with a fellowship at the University of Oxford. A computer science engineer by training, she became the first woman Collector (Head of District Administration) of Salem district in its 227-year history.
Originally from a small village in Maharashtra, she is a polyglot who speaks six languages and is committed to advancing inclusive and effective public service.