Gandhinagar: Retired Indian Administrative Service(IAS) officer K. Kaulashnathan who is widely known as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s eyes and ears in top office of capital Gandhinagar will serve the office of Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister of Gujarat for two more years. Kailashnathan’s services are extended for another two-year period with effect from December 26 this year on contractual basis.

Kailashnathan retired on May 31, 2013. On 1st June, 2013 he took charge as Chief Principal Secretary to then Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

As Anandiben Patel succeeded Narendra Modi as Chief Minister, Kailashnathan was in May 2014 given one year extension. Kailashnathan got another extension in 2015.

On August 29, 2016 Kalashnathan was appointed Chief Principal Secretary again on contractual basis till the tenure of Chief Minister.

As Chief Minister Rupani started another tenure post general election of assembly, Kailashnathan has been again appointed on the same post, this time for two years.

Kailashnathan, 64, is a former IAS officer from the 1979 batch of the Gujarat state cadre. He hails from Kerala, although he grew up in Tamil Nadu as his father used to be in the postal department in the Nilgiris. Kailashnathan, who also has a master’s degree in chemistry, began his IAS career as assistant collector in 1981. In 1985, he was appointed collector of Surendranagar, moving to Surat as collector in 1987. He became municipal commissioner handled the Narmada dam project and urban development departments besides serving as vice chairman and later chief executive officer of the Gujarat Maritime Board. In 2006 Kailashnathan was appointed principal secretary in the chief minister’s office. In two years, he was given additional charge as information department principal secretary and in 2012 he was promoted as additional chief secretary.

DeshGujarat