Deepak Sandhu, the Principal Information Officer (PIO), will be the new Media Adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. She will have a unique distinction of being the first woman to hold this post. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Wednesday approved the appointment of Sandhu.

She will take charge of the new assignment on Thursday.

A 1971 batch Indian Information Service officer, Sandhu will fill the slot vacated by Sanjaya Baru. Baru left the PMO four months ago to join the academic world in Singapore.

Mrs. Sandhu has held a number of senior positions like Director General, News, All India Radio and Head of News in the Doordarshan. She was to retire as PIB chief this month-end. UmaKant Mishra, at present Director General at the Directorate of Audio Visual Publicity (DAVP), will take over from Sandhu as head of PIB.