A 2014-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Nidhi Tewari, has been appointed as the Private Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Nidhi’s appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. The approval came with immediate effect, as per a March 29 memorandum issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
According to reports, Tewari has been serving as Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). She will assume her new role as Private Secretary to PM on a co-terminus basis as per an order issued by the Personnel Ministry.
Who Is Nidhi Tewari?
Nidhi Tewari hails from Mehmurganj in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. This is the Prime Minister’s Lok Sabha constituency since 2014. Nidhi secured the 96th rank in the Civil Services Examination in 2013. She initially worked as an Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Tax) in Varanasi before joining the Indian Foreign Service.
During her training period, Nidhi was awarded the Ambassador Bimal Sanyal Memorial Medal for Best Officer Trainee. In addition to that she also received a medal for Best Dissertation in 2016.
Experience in the PMO and MEA
Nidhi Tewari is well experienced and has been associated with the PM’s Office for over three years. In 2022, she first joined as an Under Secretary. However, she was later promoted to Deputy Secretary on January 6, 2023.
She has also worked in the ‘Foreign and Security’ vertical. During this period she reported to National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. Nidhi handled key areas including External Affairs, Atomic Energy, Security Affairs, and matters related to the state of Rajasthan.
Before her tenure in the PMO, Tewari served in the Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Third Private Secretary to PM Modi
Tewari’s appointment as the Private Secretary to PM marks the third Private Secretary to Prime Minister Modi. Nidhi succeeds Vivek Kumar and Hardik Satishchandra Shah, who previously held the position.
Who is Vivek Kumar?
Vivek Kumar is a 2004-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer. He served as PM Modi’s private secretary, focusing on foreign relations and global diplomacy. He is now India’s Ambassador to Canada.
IFS officer Vivek Kumar has previously served in the Ministry of External Affairs from 2013-14. He has done his B.Tech from IIT Bombay. Vivek joined the Prime Minister’s Office as Deputy Secretary in 2014.
After B.Tech, Vivek has worked as a business development manager in a telecom software startup. His image in the Modi government is considered as an excellent officer.
Who is Hardik Shah?
Hardik Satishchandra Shah is a 2010-batch IAS officer from the Gujarat cadre. He specialized in environmental governance and policy-making and was later appointed Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Shah, who started his career as a junior engineer in the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), was also the youngest member secretary of the GPCB, and he is credited with making GPCB’s operations modern and transparent.
Shah is probably the youngest IAS officer and the first promoted IAS officer to be appointed to this key post. Prior to Shah, another Gujarat cadre IAS officer, Rajeev Topno served as private secretary to the PM.