HYDERABAD: A Santhi Kumari, a 1989 batch IAS officer, became the first woman Chief Secretary of Telangana on Wednesday and assumed charge at BRKR Bhavan. After the DoPT relieved Somesh Kumar from the Telangana cadre, the government on Wednesday appointed Santhi Kumari as the sixth Chief Secretary of the State. She will be in service till April 2025.
Santhi Kumari hails from Andhra Pradesh and was the special chief secretary (Forest) before her elevation. She did her MSc (Marine Biology) and MBA in the US.She has an extensive experience in a wide range of areas including poverty alleviation, inclusive development, education and health, skill development and forestry.
She served at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for two years overseeing financial inclusion. Santhi Kumari worked in the Chief Minister’s Office for four years as Principal Secretary to the CM and headed the ‘Industry Chasing Cell’, which is mandated to implement single window industrial clearances under TS-iPASS.Santhi Kumari worked in the Medical and Health Department during the Covid-19 pandemic before being shifted to the forest department.
She also worked as the District Collector of Adilabad, Commissioner of BC Welfare besides holding several other key positions in undivided Andhra Pradesh.In an informal chat after assuming charge at BRKR Bhavan, Santhi Kumari thanked Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for reposing faith in her and giving an important responsibility. “I will implement the flagship schemes and welfare programmes of the government with the cooperation of peoples’ representatives, while coordinating with the officials,” Santhi Kumari said. She extended Sankranti greetings to the people of the State on the occasion.
Earlier in the day, Santhi Kumari and Special Chief Secretary (Finance) K Ramakrishna Rao called on the Chief Minister at Pragathi Bhavan.After meeting both the senior IAS officers, the Chief Minister appointed Santhi Kumari as the new Chief Secretary. Several senior officials including DGP Anjani Kumar and Municipal Administration Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar greeted Santhi Kumari.
Munnuru Kapu Sangham State apex council convenor Sardar Putam Purushottam Patel, BRS AP State president Thota Chandrasekhar and others thanked the Chief Minister for appointing Santhi Kumari as the Chief Secretary.
SOMESH TO REPORT TO AP TODAY
Former chief secretary Somesh Kumar will report to the Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday. Though Somesh Kumar thought of appealing against the HC order in Supreme Court, he later changed his mind and decided to first comply with the orders of the Department of Personnel and Training. Somesh was originally allotted to AP during the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. He challenged his allotment in CAT, which allotted him to the Telangana cadre. However, DoPT challenged the CAT order in the Telangana High Court. The High Court on Tuesday set aside the orders of CAT. Hours after the HC order, the DoPT issued orders and relieved Somesh Kumar from the Telangana cadre directing him to report to the AP government by January 12.