Santhi Kumari takes charge as new CS of Telangana, meets KCR

HYDERABAD: Santhi Kumari, an IAS officer from the 1989 batch, has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of the Telangana government. Santhi Kumari is the first female Chief Secretary of the state. Following her appointment, she assumed charge as the sixth Chief Secretary of Telangana at 3:15 pm on Wednesday at BR Ambedkar Bhawan.

Santhi Kumari replaces Somesh Kumar, who was ordered to be released from the Telangana cadre by the Central Department of Personnel and Training released Somesh Kumar following a High Court order. Subsequently, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao appointed A Santi Kumari of the 1989 IAS batch as the new Chief Secretary (CS) of the Telangana State Government. Following her appointment, Santhi Kumari also met KCR at Pragathi Bhavan to express her gratitude at her elevation.

Until her appointment as the new CS, Santhi Kumar was discharging duties as the Special Chief Secretary of the Telangana Forest Department. She also worked as the BC welfare commissioner in the undivided state of Andhra Pradesh. Among other previous stints, she worked as the Principal Secretary in the Chief Minister's Office besides serving as Special officer in Telangana State Industrial Project Approval and Self-Certification System (TS iPASS).

Santhi Kumari, who studied M.Sc in Marine Biology, also completed her MBA in the US. During the previous three decades, she worked in various capacities for departments including poverty reduction, inclusive development, education, medical and health sectors, skill development and forestry. She also discharged duties in United Nations development programs for two years.

In a courtesy call, Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) Anjani Kumar met the new Chief Secretary and congratulated her at her elevation to the coveted administrative position of the state.