Kuniyil Kailashnathan

Kuniyil Kailashnathan
കുനിയിൽ കൈലാസനാഥൻ
25th Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 August 2024
Chief MinisterN. Rangaswamy
Preceded byC. P. Radhakrishnan (additional charge)
Personal details
Born (1953-05-25) 25 May 1953 (age 72)
Vadakara, Kerala, India
PartyIndependent
ResidenceLok Niwas, Pondicherry
Alma materUniversity of Wales
University of Madras
OccupationRetired IAS Officer[1]

Kuniyil Kailashnathan (born 25 May 1953) is a retired IAS officer of the 1979-batch from Gujarat cadre.[2] He is currently serving as the 25th Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry since 2024.[3] Kailashnathan previously served as Additional Chief Secretary to then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi until 2013. He also served as Chief Principal Secretary of the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office until 30 June 2024.

Early life and family

Kailashnathan's family hails from Vatakara, Kerala.[4] He grew up in Ooty, where his father worked for the Postal Department.[5]

Education

Kailashnathan holds a Postgraduate Degree in Chemistry from Madras University and an MA in Economics from the University of Wales.[6]

Career

Kailashnathan started his career as an Assistant Collector Junior Timescale on 1 September 1981. He had served as Collector of Surendranagar (1985) and Surat (1987).[7]

Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry K. Kailashnathan receiving a bouquet of flowers from Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on August 19, 2024
K. Kailashnathan with Narendra Modi

He had also been the Chief Executive Officer of Gujarat Maritime Board. In addition, Kailashnathan served as the Municipal Commissioner of Ahmedabad from 1999 to 2001.[8] Kailashnathan was Chairman of the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) and Principal Secretary of the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department of Gujarat (UDD).[9] While at UDD, he chaired the Steering Committee that developed the Bus Rapid Transit Project for Ahmedabad. [1]

After the January 26, 2001 earthquake, the Gujarat government set up the Water and Sanitation Management Organization (WASMO) to empower communities to manage local water systems. Kailashnathan, then serving as Secretary of Water Supply, was among WASMO's first Governing Body members, playing a crucial role in its foundational stages.[10][11]

He retired as Additional Chief Secretary in the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on May 31, 2013,[12] ending 33 years of service. However, he was retained in the CMO as Chief Principal Secretary, where he served until June 30, 2024.[13] Kailashnathan has served under four Chief Ministers: Narendra Modi, Anandiben Patel, Vijay Rupani and Bhupendrabhai Patel.[14]

Besides these, Kailashnathan served as Chairman of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd. He was also the Chairman of the Executive Council of the Mahatma Gandhi Sabarmati Ashram Memorial Trust, overseeing the Gandhi Ashram Redevelopment Project.[15][16]

Kailashnathan has also served as a Member of the Board of Directors for Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (GSPCL) and was also a member of the Governing Body of the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology & Research Centre.[17][18]

In his earlier roles, he played an important part in industrial development and privatizing ports in Gujarat. His contributions to the infrastructure sector include spearheading the establishment of a statewide drinking water pipeline grid in Gujarat and serving as managing director of Gujarat State Financial Services.[19][20]

Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry

Kailashnathan was sworn in as the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry on 7 August 2024.[21]

References

  1. ^ "Lieutenant Governor". Official website of Government of Puducherry, India. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  2. ^ "K. Kailashnathan, chief principal secretary to Gujarat CM, retires". The Hindu. 29 June 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Kailashnathan sworn-in as Lt. Governor of Puducherry". The Hindu. 7 August 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  4. ^ Daily, Keralakaumudi. "Modi's confidant K Kailashnathan appointed as Lt. Governor of Puducherry". Keralakaumudi Daily.
  5. ^ "The most powerful Indians in 2014: No. 81-90". 13 March 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  6. ^ Paul, Cithara (9 September 2020). "Babus off the Block for the Race to Cabinet Secy's Chair". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Narendra Modi's Gujarat aide Kuniyil Kailashnathan readies for Delhi role". The Economic Times. 24 May 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Period wise Municipal Commissioners". Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  9. ^ "Guidelines for designing bus stops for the Ahmedabad Bus Rapid Transit System (ART)". Scribd. 1 December 2025. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  10. ^ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). www.ircwash.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  11. ^ "Rules and Regulations of Water And Sanitation Management Organization" (PDF).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ "The men who rule Modi's Gujarat". www.thehindu.com. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  13. ^ Jha, Satish. "Ex IAS Kailashnathan bids adieu to Gujarat CM office where he served for 11 years after retirement on multiple extensions". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  14. ^ Arnimesh, Shanker (30 June 2024). "IAS officer who ran CMO for 18 yrs hangs up boots. How 'KK' became Modi's 'eyes & ears' in Gujarat". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 14 January 2025. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  15. ^ "LG Secretariat - Lt.Governor's Profile". rajnivas.py.gov.in. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  16. ^ "Board of Directors | Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd". sardarsarovardam.org. Archived from the original on 11 October 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  17. ^ "Kailashnathan assumes office as Puducherry lieutenant governor". The Times of India. 7 August 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  18. ^ "Lieutenant Governor | Official Website of Government of Puducherry, India". py.gov.in. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  19. ^ Venugopal, Vasudha (29 December 2017). "PM Narendra Modi's trusted bureaucrat Kuniyil Kailashnathan to play key role in Gujarat". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  20. ^ "Gujarat State Financial Services Ltd". www.gsfs.co.in. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  21. ^ Service, Express News (7 August 2024). "K Kailashnathan takes oath as L-G of Puducherry". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuniyil_Kailashnathan