India Determined To Make A Mark As It Wins Presidency of Global Public Administration Body

According to officials in the government, Srinivas, who currently holds the post of the Secretary in the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), was nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to enter the race to hold the coveted international position.    

The move showed the Prime Minister’s intent to showcase India’s unflinching commitment to advance global standards in governance and civil services, while bringing back the best global practices back to the country, they noted.

It is learnt from the officials that in the elections, which were held on June 3, Srinivas, as India's nominee, secured 61.7 per cent of the votes, defeating Austria’s state representative Alexander Balthazar, who received 38.3 per cent.

Prominent members in the IIAS include representatives from countries like Japan, China, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Switzerland, the officials said.

After taking over the presidency of the IIAS, Srinivas, in a message, said, “I am deeply honoured to lead an institution that, for nearly a century, has stood as a global pillar of thought leadership, inclusive collaboration and continuous innovation in the field of public administration.”

He said, “We must embrace cutting-edge innovations in governance, develop frameworks for anticipatory public policy, and foster a space for open, cross-regional dialogue — especially between the Global North and the Global South.”

Talking about India’s model of governance, shaped by the principle of “Maximum Governance, Minimum Government”, Srinivas said, “It offers a contemporary template for transformative public administration. At its heart lies the belief that citizens must be at the centre of all administrative action, and that technology must act as a bridge and not a barrier between people and public institutions.”

He went on to note: “We will work toward ensuring that IIAS remains an apolitical, professionally credible and globally respected platform — one that brings together diverse traditions, schools of thought, and regional experiences to build resilient institutions for tomorrow.”

Srinivas, while setting out his plans for the IIAS, said, “The collaboration should be without borders, Knowledge should be without boundaries, and governance should be without exclusion.”

Before becoming the Secretary of DARPG, Srinivas held several important positions in the central government. He held the post of Deputy Director (Administration) in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

During his tenure at AIIMS, he was nominated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) for the Prime Minister’s Award for "Excellence in Public Administration for Digital AIIMS Project 2017”.

The officer also received from the Health Minister the KayaKalp Award Certificate and prize money worth Rs 5 crore for first prize under the scheme "Clean Hospital Campaign 2017". He was awarded the prestigious Indian Council of World Affairs Fellowship 2017 for a book research proposal, "India and International Monetary Fund 1991-2016 — 25 years in Perspective”.

It is to be noted that for nearly four years between 2003 and 2006, he served as advisor to the Executive Director of the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF). Before that, he was private secretary to the Finance Minister and the External Affairs Minister.  

Srinivas also served as Joint Secretary in the Union Ministries of Textiles and Culture, and had earlier worked as the Director-General of the National Archives of India.

Besides central government assignments, the IAS officer also served in his cadre state, Rajasthan, where he held several key positions, including the post of Chairman at the Rajasthan Tax Board, and additional charge of Chairman at the Board of Revenue for Rajasthan.

Srinivas holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Osmania University’s College of Technology. As a civil servant, he has specialisation in the fields of public finance and planning, as well as in health and family welfare.