THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a significant administrative appointment following the formation of the new government in Kerala, senior IAS officer Rathan U. Kelkar has been appointed as Secretary to Kerala Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan.
Kelkar, a 2003-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, was serving as the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Kerala prior to his appointment to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). Widely regarded as one of Kerala’s experienced administrators, his induction into the CMO is being viewed as a major bureaucratic move by the newly formed Congress-led UDF government.
Alongside Kelkar, retired Additional Secretary Sreekumar T has been appointed as Special Private Secretary to the Chief Minister.
The new CMO team also includes:
- Siji G. S. as Press Secretary
- Roy Mathews as Media Secretary
- Thilakan K. P. K. and Mohanachandran M. S. as Additional Private Secretaries
Further, Padmakumar M., Abimon P. A., Manojkumar P. N., Jafarkhan S., Jayachandran A., and Prakash O. T. have been appointed as Assistant Secretaries in the Chief Minister’s Office.
About Rathan U. Kelkar
Born on February 5, 1976, Rathan U. Kelkar is a direct recruit IAS officer from the 2003 Kerala cadre and holds an M.B.B.S. degree. Originally from Karnataka, he is proficient in English, Hindi, Marathi, and Malayalam.
Over a career spanning more than two decades, Dr. Kelkar has handled several crucial assignments in Kerala administration, including:
- Chief Electoral Officer, Kerala
- Secretary, Electronics & Information Technology Department
- Commissioner of GST
- Mission Director, National Health Mission
- Health Secretary
- District Collector in multiple districts
He is also known for promoting Kerala’s startup ecosystem and technology initiatives during his tenure in the IT Department.
Kelkar received the “Best District Collector Award” in 2013 for his administrative performance in Kannur district.
Veteran Bureaucrat Sreekumar T Returns to Key Governance Role
Sreekumar T is a retired Additional Secretary known for his extensive experience in the Kerala Secretariat system and Revenue Department administration.
Apart from serving in multiple senior administrative positions, he was also a prominent office-bearer of the Kerala Secretariat Association. His appointment as Special Private Secretary is expected to strengthen coordination between the Chief Minister’s Office and various government departments.
Roy Mathews and Siji G. S. Join Media and Communications Team
Veteran journalist Roy Mathews has been appointed Media Secretary to the Chief Minister. He previously served as Deputy Chief of Bureau and Deputy Editor at The Hindu in Thiruvananthapuram and brings over three decades of media experience.
Meanwhile, Siji G. S. will function as Press Secretary and coordinate official communication and media outreach for the Kerala government.
