Retired IFS officer Venu Rajamony, previously serving as the Kerala government’s Officer on Special Duty (External Cooperation) in Delhi, has resigned from his post. According to accounts, his surprise departure was caused by a disagreement with the senior brass of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in the state. Mr. Rajamony denied the two-week extension provided to him, which was originally set until September 30, in a letter submitted to the Chief Minister on Friday, and instead sought to be freed of his duties beginning the next day.
Although there had been anticipation that Mr. Rajamony would be granted other duties, it has now been revealed that the Chief Minister’s Office chose to terminate his services. The Chief Minister personally informed him of this decision.
Mr. Rajamony noted in his letter that the two-week delay was provided to him to solve a specific governmental problem. However, since that matter was no longer relevant, he saw no reason to stay on for the remaining two weeks.
According to government sources, the state’s IAS top officials were displeased with Mr. Rajamony job and approach to his responsibilities. They are believed to have conveyed their dissatisfaction with the government, which resulted in this outcome.
Due to the Chief Minister’s planned journey to Vietnam earlier in the month, Mr. Rajamony’s mandate had been prolonged by two weeks, initially until September 30. However, the travel plans did not materialize, and the state government canceled the visit, resulting in Mr. Rajamony’s departure.
Mr. Rajamony’s first employment was in September 2021, when the state government hired him after he retired from the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). The following year, his mandate was extended for a second time. He held the rank of Chief Secretary in his role, and his responsibilities included liaising with the Ministry of External Affairs, managing relations with Indian and foreign diplomatic missions, and exploring opportunities for collaboration with other countries in education, culture, finance, and investment.
During his tenure, Mr. Rajamony was instrumental in major projects such as assisting the safe repatriation of students from Ukraine and launching direct flights between Kochi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He also handled talks between the Chief Minister and foreign ambassadors and coordinated the Chief Minister’s official tours to Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Cuba.
It’s worth noting that Mr. Rajamony held a variety of critical positions over his 34-year diplomatic career. He was Consul General of India in Dubai, Joint Secretary in charge of managing World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) assistance to Kerala, Press Secretary to President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Raisina Hills, and Ambassador of India to the Netherlands.
