Bureaucratic career Pandian began his career as an IAS officer in 2000, at
post-cyclone Odisha. In 2002, he was appointed Sub Collector of Dharamgarh in
Kalahandi district where he was successful in implementation of the
Minimum support price (MSP) for farmers. In 2004, as Additional District Magistrate in Rourkela, he headed the Rourkela Development Agency (RDA), which was bankrupt for over 20 years and had not been able to build homes for the people who had invested their life's savings with them. Under Pandian's leadership, RDA, was brought about to a 15 crore surplus and within five months of his taking charge they were able to return the money to the people who had been waiting for over 20 years. He was one of the youngest District Collectors in India at that time and was responsible for the largest district in Odisha. He introduced the Single Window System for disbursement of certificates to Persons with Disability. This led to an increase in distribution from 700 certificates a year to 19000 certificates a year. He received the National Award from the President of India for his work in Mayurbhanj. After its success in Mayurbhanj, the Single Window System for PWD certificates was taken up as a national model and implemented throughout the country. He was at that time the only government servant to receive the
Helen Keller Award. The initiatives included implementing direct bank payments for
MGNREGS workers, rehabilitation measures for persons with disabilities, reducing HIV cases and resolving a land category anomaly benefiting farmers. He also initiated land rights provisions for slum dwellers, which inspired the state-wide
Jaga Mission project. — a governance model introduced by the Odisha government focusing on Transparency, Technology, Teamwork, Time, and Transformation. Under his leadership, the 5T initiative was implemented across various departments to enhance efficiency, accountability, and service delivery in the state's administration. Many high schools of Odisha have been transformed to Smart Schools. He oversaw the
Shree Jagannath Heritage Corridor Project on
Jagannath Temple, Puri. Along with the Puri temple, Pandian has also been overseeing the transformation and upkeep of heritage structures like churches, mosques, and temples in the state. From sponsoring the
Indian national hockey team (both Men and Women) to hosting the
Men's FIH Hockey World Cup twice in a row, for his contribution to the promotion of
hockey, Pandian received the President's Award by the
International Hockey Federation.
Retirement and political entry In October 2023, Pandian took voluntary retirement from the IAS, reaffirming his continued influence on governance and development programs in the state. On 27 November 2023, Pandian joined the Biju Janata Dal formally in presence of party president and Chief Minister of Odisha,
Naveen Patnaik. On 9 June 2024 he announced quiting from politics following the set back faced by
Biju Janata Dal in the
2024 Odisha Legislative Assembly election. == Controversies ==