ASI Additional Director General Janhwij Sharma given charge as DG

New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India's Additional Director General (Conservation and World Heritage) Janhwij Sharma has been given charge as the director general of the ASI, official sources said.

V Vidyavathi, a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Karnataka cadre, was serving as the ASI director general until recently when she was appointed the Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Tourism.

"She was relieved of the charge of DG, ASI on Monday. Janhwij Sharma, Additional Director General (Conservation and World Heritage) at the ASI headquarters here, has been given the charge of the post of DG," an official source told PTI.

But he could not say by when the ASI is expected to get a full-time DG.

Vidyavathi was appointed Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Tourism in the rank and pay of a secretary to the government, according to an order issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions on April 20.

The officer will take over as Secretary, Ministry of Tourism after the superannuation of Arvind Singh, a 1988-batch IAS officer, on May 31 this year, it said.

The Archaeological Survey of India was established in 1861 for carrying out excavation, archaeological researches and ensuring protection of the cultural heritage.

Headquartered in New Delhi, it comes under the purview of the the Ministry of Culture, and there are a total of 3,693 heritage sites in India protected by the ASI.