Who Is Gyanesh Kumar? The Harvard Graduate Who Is Now India's Chief Election Commissioner

The Law ministry on Monday (February 17) said that President Droupadi Murmu had appointed Gyanesh Kumar as 26th chief election commissioner of India. In two separate notifications the ministry also announced appointment of Vivek Joshi as election commissioner. With these appointments, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has got new officials at the very top of its hierarchy. The new appointments will come into effect on February 19.

Gyanesh Kumar will succeed Rajiv Kumar, the current chief election commissioner who will leave office on Tuesday (February 18)

Who Is Gyanesh Kumar?

Gyanesh Kumar is the first chief election commissioner to be appointed under new law over appointment of officials of the Election Commission (EC). He is 1988-batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS).

Gyanesh Kumar pursued B.Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT, Kanpur. He also studied Business Finance in ICFAI. He then studied India and Environmental Economics at Harvard University.

During his career he has taken up many postings in government bureaucracy. Some of the posts he held are assistant collector of Ernakulam, sub-collector of Adoor, managing director of the Kerala State Development Corporation for SC/ST, municipal commissioner of the Corporation of Cochin, and more.

Gyanesh Kumar was also secretary to the government of Kerala. During his service, he handled various departments like finance resources, public works department and more.

Gyanesh Kumar has worked with Government of India as well. He has served as joint secretary in defence ministry, secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, joint and additional secretary in Ministry of Home Affairs.