New Delhi:Senior IAS officer, Rajesh Kumar Singh on Friday took over as Defence Secretary at South Block in New Delhi. Singh, a 1989-batch IAS officer from Kerala cadre, had assumed the charge of the Officer on Special Duty (Defence Secretary-designate) on August 20, 2024.
A defence spokesperson said that before taking charge, Singh laid a wreath and paid homage to the fallen heroes at the National War Memorial, New Delhi.
“The nation will remain forever indebted to our brave soldiers who make the supreme sacrifice in the service of the motherland. Their extraordinary bravery and sacrifice is a source of strength & inspiration for us to make India a safe and prosperous nation,” he said.
Earlier, Singh was holding the charge of Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry from April 24, 2023 to August 20, 2024. Prior to that, he held the post of Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
The officer has held many other important positions in the Union Government as Director, Works and Urban Transport in the Ministry of Urban Development, Commissioner (Lands) - DDA, Joint Secretary - Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Joint Secretary - Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare and Chief Vigilance Officer – Food Corporation of India. He has also held important positions in the State Government as Secretary, Urban Development and lately as Finance Secretary, Government of Kerala.
Singh succeeds Giridhar Aramane, a 1988-batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, who superannuated from service on October 31, 2024.
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