TV Somanathan takes over as new cabinet secretary in place of Rajiv Gauba

New Delhi: Veteran IAS officer TV Somanathan officially assumed the role of cabinet secretary for the government on Friday, succeeding Rajiv Gauba who retired.

Somanathan, an Indian Administrative Service officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre of the 1987 batch, played a key role in the implementation of the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, a relief package for the poor, and Atmanirbhar Bharat schemes during the pandemic.

Somanathan holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Calcutta University and has completed the executive development programme at Harvard Business School, the government said in a statement on Friday. Additionally, he is a fully qualified chartered accountant, cost accountant, and company secretary.

The government's move to select a career IAS officer from his home state cadre is timely, especially as India aims to achieve an $800 billion trade target in the current fiscal year, contributing to the government's ambitious goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy in the next couple of years.

Somanathan, who ranked second in the 1987 Civil Services Examination, took over from 1982-batch officer Gauba, who held the post since 30 August 2019. Gauba, the longest-serving cabinet secretary, completed a five-year term upon his retirement.

Somanathan will be cabinet secretary for two years.

Also Read: IAS officer TV Somanathan appointed Cabinet Secretary of India. Who is he?

Among his achievements, Somanathan played a key role in implementing fiscal reforms, including the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax, while serving as joint secretary in the Prime Minister's Office in 2017. He worked as joint secretary in the ministry of corporate affairs. His experience extends to the international arena, where he was appointed director of corporate affairs at the World Bank in Washington D.C.

Somanathan was previously finance secretary and secretary of the department of expenditure.

His tenure in Tamil Nadu was marked by significant roles, including managing director of the Chennai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd., secretary to the chief minister, and additional chief secretary & commissioner of commercial taxes during the implementation of GST.

He served as commissioner for disciplinary proceedings and played a crucial role in the financial and operational aspects of the Chennai metro rail project.

Somanathan's career at the World Bank began in 1996 through the Young Professionals Program, where he worked as a financial economist in the East Asia & Pacific Regional Vice Presidency.

He later became one of the youngest sector managers at the Bank, overseeing the Budget Policy Group. From 2011 to 2015, he served as director, reflecting his significant contributions to global economic and financial policies.

Somanathan, an accomplished author, has published over 80 papers and articles on economics, finance, and public policy. He is the author of three books, published by McGraw Hill, Cambridge University Press, and Oxford University Press.