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India
Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Nidhi Tewari has been appointed as the Private Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to an official order issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) on March 29. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved her appointment with immediate effect.
Who is Nidhi Tewari?
A 2014-batch IFS officer, Nidhi Tewari hails from Mahmoorganj in Varanasi, which is also PM Modi’s parliamentary constituency since 2014. She secured the 96th rank in the 2013 Civil Services Examination and initially served as an Assistant Commissioner in Varanasi before joining the Indian Foreign Service.
Tewari has been working in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) since November 2022, initially as an Under Secretary before being promoted to Deputy Secretary on January 6, 2023. Before joining the PMO, she was part of the Disarmament and International Security Affairs Division in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Key Role in PMO
Her expertise in international relations has played a crucial role in her position within the PMO. She has been actively involved in the Foreign and Security vertical, reporting directly to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
With her new appointment, Tewari will serve as Private Secretary at Level 12 of the pay matrix, and her tenure will remain linked to the term of the present government or until further orders are issued.
Government Order Confirms Appointment
According to the official memorandum issued by DoPT, Tewari’s transition from Deputy Secretary to Private Secretary is effective immediately. The order also states that she will continue in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) until further directives are given.
Her appointment marks a significant milestone in her career and further strengthens her role in India’s foreign policy and national security decisions.
