New Delhi, July 22 (PTI/IANS): Sanjay Kothari, Chairman of Public Enterprises Selection Board, has been appointed as Secretary to President-elect Ram Nath Kovind.
Senior journalist Ashok Malik has been named as Press Secretary to Kovind, said an order issued today by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
Senior Gujarat-cadre forest service officer Bharat Lal will be Joint Secretary to Kovind, it said.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has cleared these appointments for an initial period of two years, it said.
Kothari, a 1978-batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre, retired in June last year as DoPT secretary.
He was in November 2016 appointed as the chief of the government’s head-hunter the PESB.
Malik is at present Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation—a policy think tank.
Lal, a 1988-batch officer of Indian Forest Service, is at present Resident Commissioner of Gujarat government in Delhi.
Pranab Mukherjee to be given farewell in Parliament today
Outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee will be given a farewell by Members of Parliament on Sunday in the Central Hall of Parliament.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also hosting a farewell dinner for the President on Saturday. Mukherjee’s successor Ramnath Kovind is also likely to be present there.
Mukherjee, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, was given a farewell by the Chiefs of Staff Committee on Friday.
In a simple function held at the Manekshaw Centre, the President interacted with senior military officers.
In his farewell address, Mukherjee extended his best wishes to all members of the armed forces and their families. He also paid tributes to the martyrs and their families for their sacrifices for the nation.
Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley along with the service chiefs and other senior officers attended the banquet.
