Rajiv Gauba is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Jharkhand cadre of 1982 batch. He has held several important state and central positions, including Home Secretary of India (2017-2019), Chief Secretary of Jharkhand (2015-2016) and Secretary to the Cabinet of India (2019). He made headlines in August 2023 when the Indian government extended his tenure as India’s Cabinet Secretary for a third time, making him the longest-serving Cabinet Secretary in the country’s history.
Wiki/Biography
Rajiv Gauba was born on Saturday, August 15, 1959, in Punjab, India (64 years; as of 2023). His zodiac sign is Leo. After spending a few years in Punjab, Rajiv moved to Bihar with his family. He completed his education in Bihar. In 1976, he enrolled in Patna University and successfully obtained a degree in Physics in 1982; he was awarded a gold medal for attaining first class. After completing his formal education, Gauba appeared for the UPSC Civil Services Examination and passed it. Thereafter, he reported at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. As an IAS, Rajiv attended many courses. From 1986 to 1987, he pursued an urban and rural development course at the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO), New Delhi. From 1987 to 1988, he studied a first-level course in financial management from the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICA). From 1988 to 1989, he studied Government Level MIS and Computer Applications course at CMC. From 2006 to 2007, he studied E-Government: Opportunities and Challenges at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore). From 2011 to 2012, he studied advanced courses of the World Trade Organization (WTO) at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′7″
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye color: dark brown
family
Rajiv Gauba belongs to a Punjabi family from Bihar.
Parents and siblings
There is not much information about his parents and siblings.
wife and children
His wife, Pammi Gauba, is the dean and head of the Department of Biotechnology at Jaypee Institute of Information Technology. The couple has two children, a son and a daughter.
Rajiv Gauba with Pammi Gauba and their son
Signature/Autograph
Rajiv Gauba’s signature
Profession
state appointment
In 1984, after completing his training at LBSNAA, he was posted to Bihar cadre and appointed as Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Land Revenue Administration and District Administration/Divisional Administration. He served as SDM till September 1, 1986. From September 1, 1986 to May 1, 1988, he served as Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC), Land Revenue Management and District Administration/Development Directorate, Santal Parganas. He was appointed CEO of Industries/Khadi and Rural Industries in May 1988; he served until October 1988. He was posted to Land Revenue Management and District Administration/ Development Authority, Patna on October 1, 1988. There he served as DDC until December 1, 1989. He served as District Collector (DC) from December 1, 1989 to June 1, 1992. He served as District Magistrate (DM), Land Revenue Management and District Administration/Development Management, Nalanda. He was posted to Muzaffarpur on June 1, 1992. There he served as DM and DC until 1 April 1995. He served as DM and DC in Gaya from April 1, 1995 to June 1, 1996. After Jharkhand was separated from Bihar in 2000, Rajiv Gauba was transferred from Bihar cadre to Jharkhand cadre. On August 19, 2005, he was posted to the Jharkhand Government in New Delhi by the Jharkhand Government. There he served as Resident Commissioner until January 15, 2009. Rajiv served as the chief secretary of Jharkhand from January 27, 2015 to March 31, 2016. Under Rajiv’s leadership, several initiatives were launched with a special focus on addressing the issue of Naxalism through a combination of proactive policing and development programmes. In order to improve the efficiency of law enforcement and government administration, young police officers are appointed as DM and SP of the district. Efforts are also being made to establish armed police units and state police camps in remote areas, while promoting development by building roads and bridges. The areas affected by left-wing extremism have shrunk significantly.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das congratulated Rajiv on his appointment as Jharkhand Chief Secretary
central appointment
The Government of India appointed him as Private Secretary in the Ministry of Environment; he served in the Ministry from June 1, 1996 to February 1, 1997. From February 21, 1997 to July 1, 1997, he served as Private Secretary, Department of Unconventional Energy. He was appointed Minister of the Environment on August 1, 1997; he served until April 1, 1998. From April 2, 1992 to September 19, 2001, Rajiv Gauba served as the Private Secretary of the Ministry of Defence. On October 15, 2001, Gauba was sent to Washington, DC by the Government of India as Advisor/Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He served until June 9, 2005. From January 15, 2009 to August 22, 2012, he served as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment. The Government of India appointed him as Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology; he served in the Ministry from August 22, 2012 to July 14, 2014. On July 15, 2014, he was transferred to the Ministry of Home Affairs as Additional Secretary till January 26, 2014. He served as Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Urban Development from April 1, 2016 to June 23, 2017. As secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development, Gauba focused on improving the country’s water supply, sewerage networks and green spaces. He spearheaded efforts to address critical infrastructure shortages in India’s cities and urban areas. He also played a key role in conceptualizing and implementing major urban transformation initiatives, including Smart Cities Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission and AMRUT Mission. Additionally, Rajiv has led important projects such as the preparation of a comprehensive report on traffic congestion in Delhi, which provides a four-pronged strategy to address the city’s traffic problems. Additionally, under his leadership, the Ministry developed an important national policy on fecal sludge and wastewater management. One of his major efforts is the redevelopment project, which aims to rehabilitate 12,970 existing houses and construct 25,667 residential units at an estimated cost of INR 32,835 crore (along with operational costs for 30 years).
Photos of Rajiv Gauba and Venkaiah Naidu during a meeting with senior government officials
From June 23, 2017 to August 31, 2017, Rajiv Gauba served as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Ministry of Home Affairs. On August 31, 2017, he was appointed Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs until August 31, 2019. As federal interior minister, Gauba successfully implemented a number of anti-Nazi programs aimed at combating left-wing extremism across the country. Gauba was recognized for simplifying the procurement of weapons and equipment for the Central Armed Police Forces involved in anti-Nazi operations by simplifying procedures and delegating financial powers to commander-level officers.
Rajiv Gauba with CRPF officials when he was secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs
He served as OSD, Cabinet Secretariat, from August 21, 2019 to August 30, 2019. On August 30, 2019, Rajiv Gauba succeeded Pradeep Kumar Sinha as Cabinet Secretary. As Cabinet Secretary, Gauba played an important role in India’s efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Notably, he spearheaded important initiatives such as establishing multiple working groups and effectively coordinating across government agencies to provide a unified and broad-based response to the pandemic. According to sources, Gauba played a crucial role in drafting the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill 2019. The bill resulted in the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two separate union territories after granting it special status under Article 370 of the Constitution. The constitution was abolished.
Photos of Rajiv Gauba in conversation with Mehbooba Mufti
The Union government has extended Rajiv’s term as cabinet secretary thrice. In August 2023, the Indian government adjusted the rules for the appointment of cabinet secretaries to allow Rajiv to be re-elected for the third time. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) said in its official statement,
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved extension of the tenure of Shri Rajiv Gauba, LAS (JH:82) Cabinet Secretary for one more year beyond August 30, 2023, subject to relaxations in AIS (DCRB) Rules, 1958 and Basic Rules No. Section 56(d). “
Appointment extension letter from the Government of India
salary
According to the Seventh Central Pay Commission (CPC), Rajiv Gauba’s emolument as Cabinet Secretary in India is estimated to be Rs. 2.5 lacs + other allowances.
Facts/Trivia
- Rajiv Gauba served on the Advisory Board of the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI).
- He is multilingual and can speak Hindi, English and Punjabi fluently.
- Gauba is passionate about reading.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education