Rajiv Kumar, on Tuesday, assumed charge as the new Election Commissioner (EC) of India. Kumar joins the Election Commission of India (ECI) with Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra.
Born on 19 February 1960, Rajiv Kumar is a 1984 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer. During the span of more than 36 years of Government of India service, Kumar has worked in various ministries at the Centre and his state cadre of Bihar/Jharkhand.
Acquiring his academic degrees of B.SC, LL.B, PGDM and MA Public Policy, Kumar has extensive work experience across Social Sector, Environment & Forests, Human Resources, Finance and Banking Sector.
He has a keen commitment to the use of technology applications and to bring about amendments in extant policy regime towards greater transparency, delivery of services to citizens directly, and eliminating intermediaries.
Kumar retired as Finance Secretary, Government of India in February 2020. He was thereafter appointed as Chairman Public Enterprises Selection Board from April 2020 till demitting office on 31 August 2020.
Kumar has also been Establishment Officer, Department of Personnel and Training from 2015-17 and prior to that Joint Secretary, Department of Expenditure with earlier assignments in Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Forests as also Education department in State cadre.
Rajiv Kumar is an avid trekker with a keen interest in Indian classical and devotional music.