CHENNAI: K Gnanadesikan, a 1982 batch IAS officer who had held many key positions in various departments, assumed charge as the 43rd Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. He replaces Mohan Verghese Chunkath, appointed Director of Anna Institute of Management, and Director General of Training.
This comes within a week after he was elevated to the Chief Secretary grade along with six other IAS officers. He is the fourth Chief Secretary since May 2011.
Gnanadesikan will also hold full additional charge as Vigilance Commissioner and Commissioner for Administrative Reforms.
Taking over charge from Chunkath at around 4.35 pm., at the Secretariat, he later called on Chief Minister O Panneerselvam at his chamber.
A native of Tirunelveli district, Gnanadesikan was born on April 15, 1959. He has five more years of government service.
During his career spanning over three decades, he had headed many a key departments - Finance, Home, Electricity, Revenue Administration, Industries, School Education, etc.
Since September, 2012 he had been serving as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, CMD of Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited and Chairman, Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Limited. To his credit, he has a B.E. degree in Communication Engineering besides an MBA (UK) in Social Sciences.
When the AIADMK government took over in 2011, Debendranath Sarangi was appointed Chief Secretary. He assumed charge on May 16, 2011 and held the office till December 31, 2012. He was succeeded by Sheela Balakrishnan who retired on on March 28 this year. On Chunkath replacing her, she was appointed Advisor to the government.
Meanwhile, the State government has transferred 13 more IAS officers including PWD Secretary M Saikumar who has assumed charge as the Chairman of TNEB later in the day.