Dr. Agnihotri has been appointed as an Independent Director on the Board of Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited with effect from 28th March 2015. Previously, he has served as DG (Defence Acquisition), in the Ministry of Defence. He is an IAS officer of Orissa Cadre from the 1980 batch. He has done his Masters degree in Physics followed by M. Tech in Environmental Sc and Engineering from IIT Bombay. He later did an MA in Rural Development followed by a Ph.D on Sex ratio patterns in Indian Population from School of Development Studies University of East Anglia, Norwich UK. His doctoral research and further work on the problem of declining sex ratios in India has been highly acknowledged. He has also been an Adjunct Professor at CTARA (Centre for Technology Alternatives in Rural Areas), IIT Bombay.
He has worked as Director General Shipping and Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat in the Government of India, Transport Commissioner, Orissa and Secretary in Women and Child Development and General Administration Department. He was Vice Chairman Cuttack Urban Development Authority, CEO of the Orissa Renewable Energy Development Agency, Director Industries and District Magistrate in Dhenkanal District. He also worked with UNICEF Kolkata as Consultant on Child Nutrition and Health.
His book on ‘Sex ratio patterns in the Indian Population’ has been published by Sage. He has also written a book of satires ‘Mitti Ke Raston kaa desh in Hindi. He also writes science fiction in Hindi apart from satire.
His research on declining sex ratios in India has been approvingly cited by scholars including Prof. Amartya Sen. He also writes satire and science fiction in Hindi. His wife Anita Agnihotri, at present DC SEEPZ, Mumbai is also a well known Bangla writer. His Son works in US and daughter is studying Law in ILS Pune.