Govt clears hurdles for ICMR chief Soumya Swaminathan to join WHO in Geneva; Kerala cadre IAS Prasanth Nair joins as PS to minister Alphons

Dr Soumya Swaminathan

THE Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Monday approved the cadre clearance to Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and secretary, department of health research, so that the officer can take up a foreign assignment in Switzerland. A Paediatrics from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) among other fellowships and distinctions, Dr Swaminathan is joining as Deputy Director General for Programme in the World Health Organisation (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland, for almost two years — from December 1, 2017 to November 18, 2019. The ACC has also curtailed…

her tenure in ICMR so that she can take up the foreign assignment. 

She did a fellowship in Neonatology and Paediatric Pulmonology (1987-1989) at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles in the University of Southern California, USA, and another research fellowship in the department of paediatric respiratory diseases in the University of Leicester, UK (1989-1990). A Life Member of Indian Academy of Paediatrics, she is also the chair of HIV section in the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases.

Meanwhile, the ACC has constituted a search panel with the cabinet secretary, additional principal secretary to Prime Minister and three other academics in it, to identify the successor of Dr Swaminathan.

In another development, the Central deputation tenure of 1996 batch Indian Telecom Service officer Surya Prakash has been extended for a period of three months beyond January 20, 2018. Prakash is now serving as director in the ministry of defence. Earlier, the ACC had approved the proposal of NITI Aayog for the extension of Central deputation tenure of Ms Anna Roy, 1992 batch Indian Economic Service (IES) officer and Adviser in NITI Aayog for a period of two years beyond October 31, 2017 i.e. upto October 31, 2019.

Also, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal for regularisation of overstay of DK Tiwari, 1994 batch Punjab cadre IAS on inter cadre deputation with Chandigarh Administration from January 3, 2012 to July 31, 2013.

Further, Prasanth Nair, 2007 batch Kerala cadre IAS, has been appointed as private secretary to the minister of state (independent charge) for tourism and MoS for electronics and IT, KJ Alphons in the ministry of tourism at the level of deputy secretary.