He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2010 for his contribution to the field of civil services.

He belongs to 1966 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

He holds a master's degree in Physics from Allahabad University, with specialization in Electronics.

Before joining the IAS, Chaturvedi was a professor of physics at the Motilal Nehru Regional Engineering College, Allahabad.

In 2004, the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, picked up 1966 batch IAS, Chaturvedi from Allahabad as the top bureaucrat of the country.