IAS officer TV Somanathan appointed Cabinet Secretary of India. Who is he?

The Narendra Modi government has appointed 1987-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer TV Somanathan as the new Cabinet Secretary, with a tenure set for two years starting 30 August. Somanathan is set to replace Rajiv Gauba, the official order mentioned.

A 1987-batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, TV Somanathan is currently serving as Union Finance Secretary and Secretary, Expenditure.

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri T V Somanathan, IAS, as Cabinet Secretary with a tenure of two years from 30.08.2024.

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has also approved the appointment of Shri T V Somanathan, IAS as Officer on Special Duty in the Cabinet Secretariat from the date he joins the assignment till he takes over as Cabinet Secretary,” an official order said.

Rajiv Gauba took over the charge of Cabinet Secretary five years ago on August 30, 2019.

Who is TV Somanathan?

• TV Somanathan is a 1987 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre.

• Somanathan at present, is the Finance Secretary of India (Department of Expenditure)

•Somanathan had also served as finance expenditure secretary from 2019 to 2021. He had replaced Girish Chandra Murmu, who was appointed the first lieutenant governor of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

• Somanathan has also served as Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office between 2015 and 2017

• TV Somanathan worked as Director at the World Bank Group, Washington DC where he initially joined under its Young Professionals Program

• Somanathan holds a PhD in economics from Calcutta University, an Executive Development Program diploma from Harvard Business School, Master of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce degrees from Panjab University.

• Somanathan has published numerous articles and papers on economics, finance, governance and public policy in academic journals

• Somanathan has served in various positions for both the Government of India and the Government of Tamil Nadu

• Somanathan has also briefly remained the Joint Secretary in Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Additional Secretary in PMO

• While in Tamil Nadu cadre, Somanathan served as managing director of Chennai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd from 2007 to 2010.