PK Mishra to remain as PM Modi’s principal secretary: Who is he?

The Centre has announced that Pramod Kumar Mishra, known as PK Mishra, will continue serving as the principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a position of immense influence and responsibility within the Indian bureaucratic framework.

PK Mishra first took over as the principal secretary to the prime minister in 2019, replacing Nripendra Misra.

With his reappointment, Mishra along with Ajit Doval, who was also re-appointed as the National Security Advisor, has become the longest-serving and one of the most trusted advisors to the prime minister.

Known for his effective administrative skills and profound knowledge of public policy, Mishra’s tenure has been marked by several significant contributions.

Here’s what you need to know about the top bureaucrat.

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1.  Mishra, the 1971-batch IAS officer hails from Odisha. The 75-year-old who has agriculture and economy as his forte holds degrees from the Delhi School of Economics and a doctorate in Economics/Development Studies from Sussex University in the UK.

2. The former IAS officer has had a close association with PM Modi that goes decades back when he served as principal secretary to the then-CM Modi. He was responsible for managing all matters of state administration. After Kutch was hit by a disastrous earthquake in 2001, Mishra shone by creating a disaster management system that became the Gujarat State Disaster Management (GSDMA). Mishra also further shaped the disaster management body that received various awards for its disaster recovery and management.

3. In the subsequent years, PK Mishra furthered his work in disaster management, culminating in the authorship of the book ‘The Kutch Earthquake 2001: Recollection, Lessons, and Insights.’ In 2019, he was conferred a United Nations award for disaster management and disaster risk reduction. In addition to authoring books, Mishra has penned numerous research papers on agricultural development, which have been published in various national and international research journals.

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5. Just before the 2004 elections, Mishra requested a transfer from the Chief Minister’s office to a deputation role. His first assignment was as an additional secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. Subsequently, he was appointed as the agriculture secretary, where he played a pivotal role in pioneering national initiatives such as the National Agriculture Development Programme and the National Food Security Mission. Mishra retired from the role in 2008.

6. After his retirement as an IAS, Mishra was appointed by Modi as Chairman of the Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission before he retired at the age of 65 in 2013. A year later, he received a call from New Delhi, asking him to serve in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) as Additional Principal Secretary, a post that was especially created for him. He is credited with introducing innovation and transformative changes in human resource management, and particularly played a key role in Cabinet reshuffles and selection of Padma awardees.

7. Known for his calm and low-key demeanour, Mishra is known as a ‘man of few words’ among his colleagues. “Integrity matters most for him as people with high integrity are vital for the government,” a senior official who worked with Mishra had told The Economic Times. The PM has immense faith in Mishra’s ability to “harmonise conflicting elements — people or situations,” the official added while citing events of 2017 when Mishra played a crucial role in resolving the perceived difference between the government and RBI governor Urjit Patel over lowering interest rates.

With input from agencies