BY PC Bureau
Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das has been appointed as the Principal Secretary-2 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His selection was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, with the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issuing the official order on Saturday.
Role of the Principal Secretary to the PM
The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister is a key bureaucratic position in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), serving as the chief advisor on policy matters, governance, and administrative decisions. The role involves coordinating between ministries, overseeing policy implementation, and acting as a crucial link between the PM and the bureaucracy.
ALSO READ: Amid NPP Opposition, First Looted Weapons Surrendered in Manipur
Over the years, several top bureaucrats have held this influential position:
- P.N. Haksar (1967-1973) under Indira Gandhi
- Brijesh Mishra (1998-2004) under Atal Bihari Vajpayee
- T.K.A. Nair (2004-2011) under Manmohan Singh
- Pulok Chatterji (2011-2014) under Manmohan Singh
- Nripendra Misra (2014-2019) under Narendra Modi
- P.K. Mishra (2019-present) under Narendra Modi
Background on Shaktikanta Das
A 1980-batch IAS officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre, Das has held several key positions in the Ministry of Finance, overseeing economic affairs, revenue, and budgetary planning. In December 2018, he took over as RBI Governor, steering India through critical economic challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic, global inflation, and the Russia-Ukraine war.
During his six-year tenure at the RBI, Das was globally recognized for his leadership. The US-based magazine Global Finance ranked him among the top three central bankers worldwide for two consecutive years. In 2024, he received an ‘A+’ rating in the Global Finance Central Banker Report Cards.
New Role and Tenure
As per the DoPT order, Das’s appointment as Principal Secretary-2 will be co-terminus with the tenure of the Prime Minister or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Meanwhile, P.K. Mishra continues to serve as Principal Secretary to the PM, a position he has held since September 11, 2019.
This move signals the Modi administration’s focus on economic stability and policy continuity, bringing Das’s financial expertise into the PMO at a crucial time.
