Tanmay Kumar, a 1993 batch IAS officer and once considered the Man Friday of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje has been named secretary of union ministry of environment, forest and climate change. He will retire in September 2026.
Kumar, who is currently serving as special secretary in the same ministry will take over from Leena Nandan after her superannuation in 31.12.2024.
It's rare that a joint secretary gets elevated to secretary in the same ministry. But it happened with Tanmay Kumar, who joined union forest ministry in August, 2021 and in little more than three years he became secretary in the same ministry passing through the positions of additional secretary and special secretary.
Before joining the forest ministry, Tanmay had several as joint secretary in the power ministry after leaving the parent cadre Rajasthan on deputation in 2020.
Once power centre in Vasundhara government, relegated in Gehlot rule
Tanmay Kumar has seen many seasons in last 11 years. In 2013 when Vasundhara Raje took over as chief minister, he was hand picked as her principal secretary. And during the entire tenure of five years, he enjoyed monopoly in bureaucracy. He dictated terms and even cabinet colleagues of Vasundhara Raje had to abide by dikat of Tanmay Kumar. In the course he rubbed several fellow bureaucrats and politicians of either sides the wrong way.
In 2018, when government changed, he was immediately shunted as commissioner command area development in Bikaner, which is considered as worse than punishment posting for any senior IAS of the calibre of Tanmay Kumar.
According to sources, then chief minister Ashok Gehlot was so upset with him that he didn't give NoC for his central deputation. Sources said that former chief minister Vasundhara Raje had to put in words for his deputation, then only Gehlot allowed him to go to Delhi.
The Comeback
Tanmay Kumar is an intelligent and effective officer. He played it well at the central turf and made room for himself. There was then no looking back. He first joined ministry of power as joint secretary and then moved to forest and environment ministry where he proved his mettle and became secretary.
With Tanmay Kumar attaining the position of secretary, there are four secretary level officers at centre. Other three are – V Srinivas, secretary administrative reforms, Rajat Kumar Mishra, secretary fertiliser and Sanjay Malhotra, department of revenue in finance ministry.
Prakash Bhandari is a veteran journalist with over 50 years of experience. He has worked with The Times of India for 30 years and contributed to leading publications as well as international news agency AFP.
