Smt. Prajakta Verma-Lavangare (IAS) is a senior Indian Administrative Service officer of the 2001 batch of the Maharashtra cadre, currently serving as Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) at the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). With over two decades of experience across state and central government, she brings multidisciplinary expertise in urban governance, public administration, infrastructure development, environmental sustainability and institutional management. She assumed charge of her present position in June 2026, taking on responsibilities that include solid waste management, sanitation, urban planning and citizen-centric civic services, with particular emphasis on health and education.

Throughout her career, Smt. Verma-Lavangare has held several important administrative positions, including District Collector of Dhule, Chief Executive Officer of the Ahilyanagar and Sindhudurg Zilla Parishads, Commissioner of State Excise, Secretary of the Marathi Language Department, and Divisional Commissioner of Nagpur Division, where she became its first woman divisional commissioner. She has also served in the Central Government, including senior assignments in the Ministry of Textiles and the Department of Atomic Energy. These roles have given her broad experience in public service delivery, regulatory administration, regional development and policy implementation.

Among her notable contributions are her role in land acquisition and rehabilitation for ten villages affected by the Navi Mumbai International Airport project, efforts to strengthen data-sharing mechanisms to identify tax evasion, and contributions to promoting Indian cotton through the Kasturi Cotton initiative. In 2025, she represented India at the ITMA Sustainability Forum in Singapore, where she discussed sustainability and the transition towards greener practices in the textile sector. During her tenure in the Marathi Language Department, she also supported initiatives to expand the language’s international reach and promote women’s empowerment.

Academically, Smt. Verma-Lavangare holds a bachelor’s degree in English, an LL.B. in Administrative and Other Laws, a master’s degree in Human Resource Management, and an MSc in Urban Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her professional journey reflects a commitment to responsive governance, sustainable development and citizen-focused administration. In her present role at MCGM, she aims to contribute to a cleaner, healthier and more inclusive Mumbai by strengthening civic services and encouraging collaboration among government institutions, citizens and other stakeholders.