https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Meet Former Defence Secy IAS Ajay Kumar, the Newly Appointed UPSC Chairman, Who Succeeds Preeti Sudan – Know More About Him

Dr. Ajay Kumar is known for being the longest-serving secretary in the Ministry of Defence, having also helmed the Department of Defence Production.
Indian Masterminds Stories

The President of India has appointed Dr Ajay Kumar, Retd IAS officer of 1985 from Kerala cadre, as the new Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) under Article 316(1) of the Constitution. Dr Kumar took over the reins following the completion of Preety Sudan’s term on April 29, 2025.

Dr Kumar is a former Defence Secretary, who served from August 23, 2019, to October 31, 2022.

Academic and Professional Background

An alumnus of IIT Kanpur, Dr Kumar earned his PhD in Business Administration from the University of Minnesota, USA. His strong academic background combined with his administrative acumen has made him a well-regarded figure in both governance and policy-making circles.

  • B.Tech in Electrical Engineering – Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur
  • M.A. in Development Economics – University of Minnesota
  • Ph.D. in Business Administration – Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota

He received fellowships from the University of Minnesota and was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by IIT Kanpur for his nation-building contributions.

A Distinguished Career in Public Service

Dr Kumar is eligible to serve as UPSC Chairman until October 2027. He brings over three decades of diverse administrative experience to the UPSC. He served in key positions both in the Kerala state government and at the Centre, most notably as Defence Secretary. During his tenure, he was instrumental in several transformative initiatives in India’s defence sector, including the push for indigenization and digital modernization.

Before taking charge as Defence Secretary, he also served as Secretary, Department of Defence Production, and had earlier held important roles in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

He played a pivotal role in launching the Digital India initiatives in 2014, which included transformative platforms such as Aadhaar, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), MyGov.in, GeM, and Jeevan Pramaan.

  • Corporatization of the 200-year-old Ordnance Factory Board, impacting over 80,000 employees.
  • Establishing the defence startup ecosystem through the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) program (2017–2022).
  • Spearheading modernization under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Technology and Digital India

IAS Kumar played a crucial role in implementing the Digital India initiatives. While serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and as Director General of the National Informatics Centre (NIC), he contributed to launching key digital platforms such as:

  • Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
  • Aadhaar
  • MyGov.in
  • Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
  • Jeevan Pramaan

From 2020 to 2021, he focused on policies supporting startups in emerging sectors such as AI, drones, and space technology.

Post-Retirement Roles

After retiring from service, Dr. Kumar has continued to contribute to India’s strategic and innovation ecosystem:

  • Founded MGF-Kavachh, a SEBI-approved ₹250 crore venture capital fund supporting deep tech and aerospace startups.
  • Appointed Advisor to the Board of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF).
  • Director on the Board of Sify Technologies.
  • Distinguished Visiting Professor at IIT Kanpur, affiliated with the Departments of Management Sciences and Economic Sciences.
  • Non-resident Senior Fellow at Carnegie India.
  • Writes regularly for national publications and pens a monthly column titled “Off the Grid” in Business Standard.

Honors and Awards

  • 2013EFY Electronics Leader of the Year
  • 2019Distinguished Alumnus, IIT Kanpur
  • 2019Honorary Doctorate, Amity University, Noida
  • 2019 – Named in Top 50 Effective Bureaucrats by Asia Post
  • 2021Fellow, Indian National Academy of Engineering

New Role at UPSC

His appointment comes at a crucial time, as the UPSC continues to evolve its examination processes to meet modern governance needs. With his extensive administrative background and experience in reform-driven roles, Dr Kumar is expected to further strengthen the transparency, integrity, and efficiency of the civil services recruitment process.

The UPSC, which conducts the annual Civil Services Examination in three stages – Preliminary, Main, and Interview – is headed by a Chairperson and can have up to ten members.

About UPSC

The Union Public Service Commission is a constitutional body responsible for conducting the Civil Services Examination (CSE) and various other recruitment tests for top-level bureaucratic positions in the country. The Commission is headed by a Chairperson and can have up to ten members.

As the newly appointed head, Dr Kumar will now oversee the selection of India’s next generation of civil servants.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Bombay High Court
Justice Shree Chandrashekhar Recommended as New Chief Justice of Bombay High Court by the Supreme Court Collegium - Know More About Him
supreme-court-4
Supreme Court Collegium Recommends Elevation of Bombay & Patna Chief Justices to Apex Court
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh
Farewell to a Legend: IAF’s MiG-21 Bids Final Goodbye After Six Decades of Service
Project 75
India-Germany Submarine Pact: Indian Navy to Acquire Six AIP-Equipped Vessels for ₹70,000 Crore - Know All Details
S5
S5-Class SSBNs: India’s Next Nuclear Submarines to Start Construction in 2027 with 16 MIRV Missiles
MAR A THON
MoPSW Unveils MAR-a-THON 2025 at IIT Madras to Boost Maritime Start-ups, Research and Innovation
BPCL_resized
BPCL Projects Global and Green Energy Growth with Mozambique LNG Resumption and Andhra Refinery Plans
Modi-in-Gujarat
PM Modi Dedicates ₹5,400 Crore Projects in Ahmedabad to Strengthen Industry, Power, and Urban Infrastructure - Know All Details
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-25 at 13.56
Operation Hunt: IPS Dr. Karanraj Vaghela’s Mission to Nab Valsad’s Most Wanted
Dr
Resisted Flawed Schemes, Transferred Thrice In Three Months, Found Solace In Writing
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
IAS SVR Srinivas on Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Tough Calls, and the Real Power of IAS Officers | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Minnu P M
“Lazy, Sleepy, Yet Determined”: Minnu P M’s Honest Take on Cracking UPSC
Minnu PM, once a clerk in Kerala Police, cleared UPSC with AIR 150 after five years of struggle. Her...
IPS Ashish Tiwari
From IIT and Investment Banking to Public Service, Meet IPS Ashish Tiwari 
Ashish Tiwari, IIT graduate and former investment banker, chose public service over global finance. As...
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-12 at 7.27
First Attempt IRS, Fourth Attempt IPS: The Relentless Pursuit of Jitendra Kumar Yadav Who Cracked UPSC 3 Times
IPS Yadav is originally from Chhattisgarh. He was first selected for the IRS through UPSC and later for...
Social Media
Masahiro Hara
From Go Board to Global Use, How QR Codes Changed the World: IRAS Officer Ananth Rupanagudi Spotlights Masahiro Hara’s Vision
IRAS officer Ananth Rupanagudi shared a video on Masahiro Hara, the inventor of QR codes, highlighting...
IFS Susanta Nanda Video
A Mother’s Duty: Tigress Watches Over Cubs Splashing in Waterhole — Heartwarming Video Shared By Retd. IFS Officer Susanta Nanda
A tender wildlife video shared by Retd. IFS officer Susanta Nanda shows a tigress keeping watch over...
Mohanmala
Kaziranga Mourns: Beloved Elephant Mohanmala Passes Away After Five Decades of Service
Kaziranga National Park mourns the loss of Mohanmala, a beloved elephant who served over 50 years as...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Bombay High Court
Justice Shree Chandrashekhar Recommended as New Chief Justice of Bombay High Court by the Supreme Court Collegium - Know More About Him
supreme-court-4
Supreme Court Collegium Recommends Elevation of Bombay & Patna Chief Justices to Apex Court
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-25 at 13.56
Dr
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT