The Tamil Nadu government appointed IAS Rajeev Ranjan as Chief Secretary of the state. Rajeev Ranjan succeeded K Shanmugham who retired on 31st January and took charge on February 1, 2021.

Rajeev Ranjan is a 1985-batch officer who was serving as Secretary, Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development in New Delhi. He was on central deputation. But, the state govt sought his repatriation to the parent cadre and the Centre had allowed him.