Centre appoints Sanjeev Khirwar as MCD commissioner; Officer earlier linked to stadium dog walk row
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday appointed senior IAS officer Sanjeev Khirwar as the new commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, marking his return to the national capital nearly three years after he was transferred out following a high-profile controversy linked to the Thyagraj Stadium.
Khirwar, a 1994-batch AGMUT cadre officer, takes charge of the country’s largest civic body at a critical juncture, with the MCD’s annual budget due later this month and the corporation grappling with persistent administrative and financial challenges. His appointment was notified through an official order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and communicated to the office of the Delhi lieutenant governor.
Hindustan Times reported that he replaces Ashwani Kumar, a 1992-batch IAS officer, who has been transferred to Jammu and Kashmir. Kumar had been serving as the MCD commissioner since June 2024 and earlier played a key role as special officer during the unification of Delhi’s three municipal corporations into a single entity.
In May 2022, Khirwar was accused of restricting athletes’ access to the Delhi government-run Thyagraj Stadium in the evenings to facilitate walking his dog. The allegations had triggered widespread criticism and public debate on the use of public infrastructure by senior officials. Khirwar had denied the allegations, but he was subsequently transferred out of Delhi to Ladakh.
Now back in the capital, Khirwar will oversee the MCD’s daily functioning, implementation of civic policies and coordination among departments at a time when issues related to finances, sanitation, urban infrastructure and service delivery remain under sharp public and political scrutiny.
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Dr. Thumbay Moideen featured in Entrepreneur Middle East 100 NRI’s of the year
Dubai: Dr. Thumbay Moideen, Founder of Thumbay Group has been featured in this year's “The 100 NRIs by Entrepreneur Middle East.”
The annual feature recognises 100 prominent Non-Resident Indian entrepreneurs from diverse fields. Other notable names on the list include Zakariya Jokatte, Ashish Koshy, Deepak Babani, Pankaj Kundr, Faizal E. Kottikollon, Dr. Vivek Oberoi, and Prashant Goenka.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen, son of the late community leader B. Ahmed Haji Mohiudeen, is a prominent alumnus of St. Aloysius College, Mangaluru. He has earned widespread recognition in the UAE and beyond for his contributions to higher education and healthcare. He is also a recipient of the Karnataka State Rajyotsava Award 2025.
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In 1997, Dr. Moideen founded the Thumbay Group, a diversified international conglomerate that has expanded into health education, healthcare services, and medical research. In 1998, he became the first Indian invited by the rulers of Ajman to establish a medical college in the UAE, which has now grown into a university with its own network of hospitals, clinics, medical centers, and pharmacies across the country.
Dr. Moideen’s achievements have been recognised in respected publications, including Forbes Middle East and Arabian Business. He has also received an Honorary Fellowship from the International Medical Sciences Academy (IMSA) and an honorary doctorate from Amity University.
Today, Thumbay Group institutions cater to students and healthcare professionals from over 100 nationalities, contributing to workforce development and research-driven healthcare practices. Dr. Moideen is widely regarded as one of the most influential Non-Resident Indians in the Gulf, a respected voice from the Beary community, and a leading Muslim entrepreneur and educationist.
Over the past decades, he has steered Thumbay Group’s expansion into a multi-sector organisation focusing on academic medicine, research-led healthcare, and global education. His initiatives have created opportunities for thousands of healthcare professionals and students while strengthening healthcare delivery systems and academic collaboration across regions.
