Shailendra Nath Gupta, a senior officer from the Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES), took charge as the Director General of Defence Estates (DGDE) on May 31, 2025.

With extensive experience in managing defence lands and cantonments, he now leads a vast system overseeing nearly 1.8 million acres of defence land across India.

Key Points:

• Shailendra Nath Gupta is a 1990-batch IDES officer who assumed the role of DGDE on May 31, 2025.
• The DGDE is responsible for managing over 1.8 million acres of defence land across the country.
• He has previously served as CEO of various Cantonment Boards and as Principal Director of Defence Estates for the Eastern Command.
• The DGDE functions through six commands, 38 Defence Estates Circles, and 61 Cantonment Boards.
• The office advises the Ministry of Defence on cantonment matters and handles land acquisition, resettlement, and rehabilitation.