V L Kantha Rao, born on December 5, 1967, is a 1992 batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre. He holds a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering and a postgraduate diploma. Currently serving as Secretary at the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti since August 22, 2025, Rao has held multiple key positions including Additional Secretary, Managing Director, Commissioner, President & CEO, Director, Private Secretary, Deputy Secretary, District Collector, Additional Collector, and Sub Divisional Officer. He continues to serve in the Indian Administrative Service.