Ahmedabad: The National Institute of Design has asked its former director, Praveen Nahar, to pay Rs 12.89 lakh for sweeping and cleaning services at the official residence he occupied during his tenure — part of a total recovery claim of Rs 13.91 lakh that also includes electricity charges linked to his tenure at the helm of the institute from June 2019 to Oct 2024.The bigger chunk is startling. NID has sought Rs 12.89 lakh for the services of a sweeper-cum-cleaner at the director’s official residence. Another Rs 1.02 lakh has been claimed towards electricity charges. Insiders described the move as unprecedented. Some linked it to the friction between Nahar and the current administration. Highly placed sources said NID’s chief administrative officer, P S Pradeep, sent two emails to Nahar around four months ago. One email sought recovery of Rs 12.89 lakh for sweeper-cum-cleaner services allegedly provided at the official residence during his tenure, terming the facility “beyond entitlement as director, NID”. A second email sought Rs 1.02 lakh towards electricity charges for the same premises and period. The communication asked Nahar to deposit the money immediately and said it had been issued with the approval of the director.Nahar, who resigned from NID in the second half of 2025 and later joined IIT Gandhinagar as professor of design, said he was surprised by the demand.“I have already sought detailed clarification on the applicable rules and the basis of the claims. The matter has been raised after the tenure, and I will respond appropriately once the requested information is provided. At this stage, I am unable to comment further,” Praveen Nahar said.TOI made repeated attempts to contact current NID director Ashok Mondal, but there was no response from him or the institute till Tuesday evening.Sources close to the development said Nahar has sought details of the amenities and entitlements available to NID directors, and has also questioned why the issue was never raised while he was in office.“The issue could have been resolved amicably, but going after a former director is not the way the institute has treated its senior members,” a source said.
