Who Is IAS Officer Vijay Kiran Anand, Who Holds The Responsibility For Maha Kumbh 2025 - News18

Who Is IAS Officer Vijay Kiran Anand, Who Holds The Responsibility For Maha Kumbh 2025 - News18

Vijay Kiran Anand has earlier held the position of District Collector in Mainpuri, Unnao, Firozabad, Varanasi, and Shahjahanpur. (News18 Hindi)

The Mahakumbh has commenced on the banks of the Sangam in Prayagraj. Tuesday marked the first Amrit Snan of this Mahakumbh, with thousands of sadhus and saints, alongside crores of people, taking a dip in the Sangam. Tight security arrangements are in place.

The Mahakumbh, which began on January 13, will continue until February 26. This year, the responsibility of the Mahakumbh has been given to IAS officer Vijay Kiran Anand, under whose leadership there is considerable optimism for a grand and historic event.

Vijay Kiran Anand is an IAS officer of the 2009 batch, belonging to the UP cadre. Born in Bengaluru, he also qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Vijay Kiran Anand’s initial posting was as SDM in the Baghpat district, where he served for two years. Following this, he was transferred to the post of Chief Development Officer in the Barabanki district.

Vijay Kiran Anand held the position of District Collector in Mainpuri, Unnao, Firozabad, Varanasi, and Shahjahanpur. In 2017 and 2019, he served as the officer for the Magh Mela and Ardh Kumbh Mela, respectively.

This year, Vijay Kiran Anand assumed the role of chief officer for Mahakumbh 2025. His extensive experience led to his appointment as Mela Adhikari for the event in 2024. During his tenure as DM of Gorakhpur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi bestowed upon him the Prime Minister Award 2020. On Civil Services Day, PM Modi honoured him with a memento and a citation.

Coinciding with Mahakumbh’s second bathing festival, Makar Sankranti, the Amrit Snan of the Akhara saints commenced Tuesday morning. As of 10 am, the fair administration reported that 1.38 crore devotees had already partaken in the sacred dip in the Ganga and Sangam.

In the Amrit Snan of Akharas, the saints of Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani and Shri Shambhu Panchayati Atal Akhara were the first to take Amrit Snan at Sangam chanting “Har Har Mahadev".

After Amrit Snan, Mahamandaleshwar Chetan Giri Ji Maharaj of Mahanirvani Akhara told ‘PTI-Bhasha’, “Every 12 years, Purna Kumbh takes place in Prayagraj and after 12 Purna Kumbhs, this Maha Kumbh comes after 144 years. Very lucky people get the opportunity to bathe in Maha Kumbh."