Bengaluru: Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer T.M. Vijay Bhaskar will be Karnataka’s new Chief Secretary, replacing K. Ratna Prabha who retired on superannuation on Saturday, an official notification said.
A 1983-batch officer of the Karnataka cadre, Bhaskar, 57, was earlier the Additional Chief Secretary to the state government.
He was the former Bengaluru civic body’s administrator.
Prabha, 59, was on a three-month extension since April 1 due to the Assembly poll on May 12 in the southern state.
She was the first Dalit woman to become Chief Secretary in Karnataka and the third woman officer to hold the top administrative post.
On her retirement from office, Prabha in a tweet said: “It is time to hang my boots and cannot believe 37 years of service is over…My USP has been public grievances.”
“…I appeal to my fellow officers to make it a habit to meet people and help at least one person a day no matter how busy you are…I have followed this all my life and it has never let me down.”
Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara said Prabha has been a pillar of strength to women in Karnataka.
“Good officers lead by example. Your zeal to solve people’s problems will always be remembered. You are a pillar of strength to many women in Karnataka..,” Parameshwara tweeted.
IANS