Principal secretary to PM, TKA Nair ranks No 2 in BoI's list of 5 Most Powerful Bureaucrats, 2010

HE IS seven batch senior to the senior-most IAS in India --- cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar. He holds the rank of a minister of state and wields immense power in South Block housing the PMO. Yes, you have guessed it right by now. He is TKA Nair, a 1963 batch retired IAS, working as principal secretary to PM since May 2004. Henry Kissinger style bureaucrat, TKA Nair, is ranked No 2 in the BoI’s (babusofindia.com) list of Most Powerful Bureaucrat second time in a row. From managing crisis for the Prime Minister, meeting ministers on behalf of the PM to taking the viewpoints of top corporate honchos on all policy matters, Nair is still the man of the moment in PMO. When ADAG chairman Anil Ambani lost the historic gas dispute case in Supreme Court a few months ago, he knew who to meet in power corridors. Ambani junior met Nair in South Block before narrating his viewpoints to PM.

Even on delayed work related to Commonwealth Games, Nair made a number of surprised visits to the venues last year and held stock-taking meetings to monitor the progress reports.
Nair, who was secretary to former prime minister IK Gujral and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had also served in Planning Commission. No one questions him about his efficiency and administrative skills though some officers complain in private that Nair likes them less than those belonging to Kerala!
Watch out this space to spot who are 3rd, 4th and 5th Most Powerful Bureaucrats in India, and what make them special in corridors of power.


Action and Appointments

a) The ACC has approved the repatriation of Dilsher Singh, a 1977 batch Punjab cadre IAS and Adviser, Planning Commission to his cadre.

b) BP Sharma, a 1981 batch Bihar cadre IAS has been appointed as joint secretary in the ministry of minority affairs.

c) The ACC has approved the assignment of additional charge of commissioner of security, civil aviation in the bureau of civil aviation security (BCAS), to Rohit Nandan, a 1982 batch UP cadre IAS, currently serving as joint secretary in the ministry of civil aviation for a period of two months.