Hyderabad, April 29, 2025 — Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer K Ramakrishna Rao has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Telangana, marking a significant shift in the state’s top bureaucratic leadership. Rao will take charge from May 1, following the retirement of the incumbent Chief Secretary, A. Santhi Kumari.
A 1991-batch IAS officer, K Ramakrishna Rao brings with him over three decades of administrative experience, particularly in finance and governance. Until now, he has been serving as the Special Chief Secretary in the Finance Department, where he played a crucial role in shaping the state’s fiscal policies and managing resources during challenging times.
Known for his calm demeanor and analytical approach, Rao has previously held key positions including Principal Secretary (Finance), Director General of the Centre for Good Governance, and District Collector in both Adilabad and Guntur districts. His tenure has been marked by reforms in public finance, governance digitization, and strategic budget management.
The appointment comes at a time when Telangana faces critical decisions on economic recovery, welfare delivery, and administrative restructuring. Rao’s expertise is expected to lend stability and continuity to the government’s functioning as the Congress-led administration under Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy continues its development push.
Sources within the Secretariat suggest that Rao may continue to hold additional charge of the Finance Department temporarily, reflecting the government’s confidence in his leadership.
Rao is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and IIT Delhi, holding degrees in engineering and management. He is set to retire later this year, but his appointment is seen as a move to ensure experienced leadership during a transitional phase for the state bureaucracy.
