Know Your Babu: 1997 batch IAS P Krishnamurthy is PS to defence minister Parrikar

Krishnamurthy (left) with Parrikar (File photo)

ON MONDAY, 1997 batch IAS P Krishnamurthy was appointed as private secretary to defence minister Manohar Parrikar in relaxation of the "cooling off" period. Parrikar’s choice was quite natural as this AGMUT cadre IAS had earlier worked as secretary to CM when Parrikar was Goa chief minister. But it seems, Krishnamurthy’s appointment to this South Block post was not an easy affair either. The very list of conditions attached to his…
appointment clearly indicates that the ACC had examined various angles before giving a go-ahead to his appointment as private secretary to India’s new defence minister. The office memorandum dated January 5, 2015 reads as follows:  “The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal for appointment of Sri P Krishnamurthy, IAS (UT 97) in relaxation of ‘cooling off’ and in relaxation of the condition that he would repatriate to his cadre on cessation of his term as PS and do his cooling off afresh, as Private Secretary to the Defence Minister (Sri Manohar Parrikar) (in PB-4 Rs 37400—67000 + GP Rs 8700) at the level of Director for a period of five years with effect from the date of assumption of the charge of the post or on co-terminus basis with the Minister or till he ceases to function as OSD to the Minister or until further orders, whichever occurs the earliest.”
Being in AGMUT cadre, Krishnamurthy had a chance to work in a number of states: as collector in Goa, secretary in Mizoram and director in education department of National Capital Territory of Delhi. Between 2005 and 2008, he was also the resident commissioner of Mizoram House in New Delhi. He has currently been working as resident commissioner in Goa Sadan in New Delhi.
AGMUT means Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories.
Originally hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Krishnamurthy, 48, studied political science and international relations before getting into IAS.
He also served as Director of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).