Senior IAS officer Sanjay Jaju has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of Telangana, taking charge on June 30, 2026, after the superannuation of K Ramakrishna Rao. A 1992-batch officer of the Telangana cadre, Jaju returns to the state after a long central deputation spanning nearly 12 years. His appointment marks a significant administrative transition as the state government prepares for the next assembly elections due before his retirement in February 2029.
The Administrative Transition
The Telangana government issued orders on June 26, 2026, appointing Jaju as Chief Secretary, effective from June 30. He succeeded K Ramakrishna Rao, a 1991-batch IAS officer who retired on reaching superannuation. Rao, who had served as Chief Secretary since April 30, 2025, was granted two extensions by the Centre at the state’s request, allowing him to remain in office until end of June 2026.
Rao was known for his deep expertise in state finances, having prepared 14 budgets for Telangana since its formation in 2014. After retirement, he was appointed as Advisor and Ex-Officio Special Chief Secretary to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, continuing to serve the state government in a different capacity.
Jaju was chosen for the top bureaucratic post over two of his batchmates, Jayesh Ranjan and Vikas Raj, both senior special chief secretaries in the state. Two factors worked in his favour. First, Jaju had spent his entire central deputation years away from Telangana and had no association with the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government. Second, with his retirement scheduled for February 2029, he will remain in office beyond the next assembly elections, ensuring administrative continuity through a politically critical period.
Who Is Sanjay Jaju?
Born on February 26, 1969, in Madhya Pradesh, Sanjay Jaju is a mechanical engineer by training with a postgraduate degree, a cost and management accountancy qualification, and an MBA in Finance. His academic breadth reflects the diverse administrative domains he has handled over a career spanning more than three decades.
Before moving to the Centre in October 2014, Jaju held several key positions in undivided Andhra Pradesh. He served as Commissioner of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (the precursor to GHMC) and earlier as Commissioner of Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. He also worked as District Collector of West Godavari, Secretary of the Information Technology and Communications Department, and Commissioner of Civil Supplies. As IT Secretary, he conceptualised and implemented MeeSeva, a landmark e-governance platform that transformed citizen service delivery in Andhra Pradesh by bringing over 350 government services under a single integrated portal. The project won the National e-Governance Gold Award in 2014 and became a model for other states.
At the Centre, Jaju served as the founding Director of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) from October 2014 to March 2018, where he introduced digital project management tools such as INAMPRO, INFRACON, ePACE, and BIMS. These platforms earned NHIDCL the National e-Governance Gold Award in 2018. He later served as Additional Secretary in the Department of Defence Production from 2018 to 2023, where he played a key role in setting up the Defence Innovation Organisation and the iDEX initiative to connect startups with defence requirements. He also contributed to the historic corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board. For his work, he received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in 2021.
He went on to serve as Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting from February 2024 to March 2026, and then as Secretary, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) from March 2026 until his repatriation to Telangana in June 2026.
Additional Charges and Responsibilities
Besides his role as Chief Secretary, Jaju has been entrusted with full additional charge (FAC) of several key portfolios. He will serve as Special Chief Secretary of Industries and Commerce and Information Technology, Electronics and Communications (ITE&C) departments. He is also the Special Chief Secretary and CEO of the Industry and Investment Cell in the Chief Minister’s Office, and the head of the Smart Proactive Efficient and Effective Delivery (SPEED) wing.
These additional responsibilities were previously held by outgoing Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao. The government’s decision to keep these portfolios with the Chief Secretary signals the priority it places on industrial investment, IT sector growth, and efficient service delivery. Jaju’s prior experience as IT Secretary in undivided Andhra Pradesh, where he drove the MeeSeva initiative, makes him well suited to lead the SPEED wing, which focuses on streamlining government service delivery.
Significance of the Appointment
Jaju’s appointment comes at a crucial moment for Telangana. The state government has launched several flagship welfare and development programmes, including the Praja Palana Pragati Pranalika, a 99-day outreach initiative. With the next assembly elections expected before February 2029, having a Chief Secretary who will remain in office through the electoral cycle provides continuity in policy implementation and administrative coordination.
The choice also reflects the government’s desire to bring in an officer with strong central government connections. Jaju’s long tenure at the Union level spanning defence, highways, media, and North East development means he can facilitate faster clearances and better coordination between Telangana and the Centre on key infrastructure and investment projects. His experience in the Defence Production department, NHIDCL, and his familiarity with Union ministries are expected to help the state secure approvals for its flagship industrial and infrastructure initiatives.
Jaju is also seen as someone with no political baggage from the previous BRS regime, having been away on central deputation since 2014, soon after Telangana’s formation. This neutrality was a key consideration in his elevation over other senior officers who had served through the BRS years.
Key Takeaways
- Sanjay Jaju, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Telangana cadre, was appointed Chief Secretary of Telangana on June 26, 2026 and took charge on June 30, 2026.
- He succeeded K Ramakrishna Rao, a 1991-batch IAS officer who retired after serving as Chief Secretary since April 2025 and preparing 14 budgets for the state.
- Jaju returns to Telangana after 12 years on central deputation, having served in key roles including Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of DoNER.
- He will remain in service until February 2029, making him the longest tenured Chief Secretary in Telangana’s recent history and spanning beyond the next assembly elections.
- Jaju also holds full additional charge of the Industries and Commerce, ITE&C departments, and the Industry and Investment Cell in the CMO.
- He received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in 2021 and was instrumental in conceptualising the MeeSeva e-governance platform and setting up the iDEX defence innovation initiative.
