Nripendra Misra (born 8 March 1945) is an Indian bureaucrat and civil servant. An Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1967 batch from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, he served as the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi from 2014 to 2019.[2] He earlier served as the chairperson of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, as the Telecom Secretary of India and the Fertilizers Secretary of India.[3] He was awarded India's third highest civilian award the Padma Bhushan in 2021.[4][5] His son Saket Misra is a nominated Member of Legislative Council in Government of Uttar Pradesh since April 2023.

Nripendra Misra
12th Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India
In office
28 May 2014 – 30 August 2019
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi
Additional Principal SecretaryPramod Kumar Misra
Preceded byPulok Chatterjee
Succeeded byPramod Kumar Misra
Chairperson of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
In office
22 March 2006 – 22 March 2009
Preceded byPradip Baijal
Succeeded byJ. S. Sarma
Telecom Secretary of India
In office
January 2004 – March 2005
Fertilizers Secretary of India
In office
January 2002 – January 2004
Personal details
Born (1945-03-08) 8 March 1945 (age 79)[1]
Deoria, United Provinces, British India
ChildrenSaket Misra
Alma materUniversity of Allahabad
John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

Education

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Misra has an MPA in public administration from John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University,[3][6][7] and has a postgraduate degrees in chemistry and political science and public administration from the University of Allahabad.[3][6][7]

Career

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As an IAS officer

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Misra served in various positions for both the Government of India and the Government of Uttar Pradesh as an IAS officer, he served in positions such as Principal Secretary (Home-II), Principal Secretary to Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, member of the Uttar Pradesh Board of Revenue, chairperson and chief executive officer of Greater NOIDA, secretary in the now-erstwhile Department of Institutional Finance, Taxation and Excise and as a special secretary in the Department of Finance in the Uttar Pradesh government;[6][7] and as Union Telecom Secretary and chairperson of Telecom Commission, Union Fertilizers Secretary, additional secretary looking after World Trade Organization affairs in the Ministry of Commerce, and as a joint secretary in Department of Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Finance in the Indian government.[6][7]

Misra also served as Minister (Economic) in India's embassy to the United States in Washington, D.C. from August 1985 to July 1988.[6][7] Misra further served as a consultant to the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the Government of Nepal.[6][7]

Fertilizers Secretary of India

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Misra was appointed as the Fertilizers Secretary of India by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) in January 2002;[6][7] Misra assumed the office of secretary in January 2002 and demitted it in January 2004, serving for approximately two years.[7]

Telecom Secretary of India

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Misra was appointed as the Telecom Secretary of and chairperson of Telecom Commission by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) in January 2004;[6] Misra assumed the office of secretary in January 2004 and retired from service in March 2005, serving for more than a year.[7]

Post-retirement

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Chairperson of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

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After his retirement from the Indian Administrative Service, Misra was appointed as the chairperson of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in March 2006,[2][6][8] succeeding another retired IAS officer, Pradip Baijal,[8] Misra demitted the office of chairperson of TRAI in March 2009,[9][10] serving as the regulator's head for three years and was succeeded by J. S. Varma, another IAS officer and former Telecom Secretary in May 2009.[9][10]

He resigned as member of the Board of Directors of Usha Martin Limited on May 26, 2014 upon being invited to join the PMO under the newly formed Modi government.[11][12] He is also a former member of the Executive Council at the Vivekananda International Foundation.[13]

Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India

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Nripendra Misra with Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi and Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar in April 2015.
 
Nripendra Misra with Prime Minister of India, Narendra in New Delhi on May 26, 2015.

In May 2014, newly elected prime minister, Narendra Modi, appointed Misra as his principal secretary,[2] through the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) and was given the rank and status of Cabinet Minister,[1] the Government of India.[14][15][16] To confirm Misra's appointment, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 had to be amended, first by a temporary ordinance,[17][18][19] and then by an Act,[20][21][22] as one of its provisions barred a former TRAI chairperson from holding any office in the Government of India or any state or union territorial government.[17][18][19][23]

During his tenure as principal secretary, Misra has been considered to be one of the most powerful bureaucrats in India.[24]

On June 11, 2019, Misra was re-appointed as Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his appointment along with re-appointment of Additional Principal Secretary Pramod Kumar Misra with effect from May 31, 2019. These appointments were designated to be co-terminous with the term of the Prime Minister.[25]

On 30 August, Misra quit his position as principal secretary at the PMO, though he confirmed he would continue for a couple of weeks at the request of the Prime Minister.[26]

Chairperson of NMML

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Post his resignation as principal secretary, Mishra was appointed the chairperson of the executive council of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library in January 2020.[27]

Chairman of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra

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Nripendra Misra was elected as the chairman of the temple construction committee of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in February 2020. The move was seen as part of government strategy to keep a close engagement with the ambitious Ram Mandir project.[28]

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Nripendra Mishra – Executive Record Sheet". Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Dhoot, Vikas; Mankotia, Anandita Singh (27 May 2014). "Former telecom regulator Nripendra Misra appointed principal secretary to Narendra Modi". The Economic Times. New Delhi: The Times Group. OCLC 61311680. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  3. ^ a b c नृपेंद्र मिश्रा ही क्यों हैं प्रधान सचिव पद पर मोदी की पसंद, जानिए 5 कारण [Why is Nripendra Misra the choice of Modi for the post of principal secretary, know 5 reasons]. Rajasthan Patrika (in Hindi). New Delhi. 12 July 2018. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  4. ^ "Padma Awards 2021 announced". Ministry of Home Affairs. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Shinzo Abe, Tarun Gogoi, Ram Vilas Paswan among Padma Award winners: Complete list". The Times of India. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Nripendra Misra". Public Interest Foundation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Telecom Regulatory Authority of India — 2006-07 Annual Report" (PDF). Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. pp. 2–4. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Nripendra Misra new Trai chairman". Business Standard. New Delhi: Business Standard Ltd. 22 March 2006. OCLC 496280002. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  9. ^ a b "J S Sarma to be next TRAI Chairman". Business Standard. New Delhi: Business Standard Ltd. Press Trust of India. 8 May 2009. OCLC 496280002. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  10. ^ a b Russel, Ishita (7 May 2009). "JS Sarma to be new Trai chairman". Rediff.com. New Delhi. Business Standard. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  11. ^ "Nripendra Misra quits Usha Martin Ltd". EquityBulls. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Usha Martin Limited - Annual Report 2014-15" (PDF). Usha Martin Limited - Annual Report: 112.
  13. ^ Mohan, Archis (28 July 2014). "Think tank corners many new positions in govt". Business Standard India. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  14. ^ Iype, George (31 May 2006). "What does the Cabinet Secretary do?". Rediff.com. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  15. ^ "PK Sinha to be next cabinet secretary: All you should know about India's most powerful bureaucrat". Firstpost. FP Staff. Network 18. 29 May 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  16. ^ "From Power Secretary to the most powerful bureaucrat". Business Line. Our Bureau. New Delhi. 29 May 2015. ISSN 0971-7528. OCLC 456162874. Retrieved 6 August 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  17. ^ a b Chibber, Manish (29 May 2014). "Law blocks top PMO posting for former TRAI chief, so govt changes the law". The Indian Express. New Delhi. OCLC 70274541. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  18. ^ a b "Ordinance pushed in 2 days to clear Nripendra Misra's path to principal secretary post". The Times of India. New Delhi: Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Times News Network. 29 May 2014. OCLC 23379369. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  19. ^ a b "Law changed to appoint Misra principal secy to PM". Business Standard. B. S. Reporters. New Delhi. 29 May 2014. OCLC 496280002. Retrieved 7 August 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  20. ^ "Parliament passes Trai amendment Bill". The Times of India. New Delhi: Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Times News Network. 16 July 2014. OCLC 23379369. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  21. ^ "TRAI (Amendment) Bill passed in Lok Sabha, Trinamool Congress back NDA in voice vote". India Today. IndiaToday.in. New Delhi. 14 July 2014. ISSN 0254-8399. Retrieved 7 August 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  22. ^ "TRAI bill gets President's nod". The Hindu. New Delhi. Press Trust of India. 18 July 2018. ISSN 0971-751X. OCLC 13119119. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  23. ^ "TRAI Bill clears Nripendra Mishra's hurdle". The Pioneer. New Delhi: Chandan Mitra. Pioneer News Service. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  24. ^ Unnithan, Sandeep (19 April 2018). "Official Top 10: Hidden power". India Today. ISSN 0254-8399. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  25. ^ http://www.newsonair.com/News?title=Nripendra-Misra-re-appointed-as-Principal-Secretary-to-PM-Modi&id=364751
  26. ^ Bureau, Indus Scrolls (30 August 2019). "PM Modi's principal secretary Nripendra Misra to step down". Indus Scrolls. Retrieved 31 August 2019. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  27. ^ "Former Principal Secretary to PM Nripendra Mishra to head Nehru Memorial Museum and Library". The Hindu. 18 January 2020. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  28. ^ "Former IAS Nripendra Misra to head committee for Ram Mandir construction in Ayodhya". The Economic Times. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  29. ^ "令和3年春の外国人叙勲 受章者名簿" (PDF). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
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