By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Greetings and best wishes on Sunday poured in for 5T Secretary and 2000 batch IAS Officer, V Karthikeya Pandian, happens to be the most trusted lieutenants of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Born on May 29,1974 in Tamilnadu, Pandian today turned 49 and considered as the most influential bureaucrats of Odisha administration, and heading 5T Initiative of the Government.
An M.Sc in Plant Physiology, over the years, became master strategists, who worked backdoor for Naveen Patnaik’s unbelievable political successes in past decades.
Right from ADM in Rourkela to Chief Miniser Patnaik’s home turf of Ganjam as Collector to CMO in Bhubaneswar to as Private Secretary , now all powerful, 5T Secretary, Pandian, always draws attention for his commitment, hardworking skills and team spirit.
Pandian, as he is popularly referred to in Odisha, is officially private secretary to the Chief Minister. But his role and impact have turned out to be much more than what his predecessors ever had. So much so that in recent years he is being described as Naveen’s most trusted person, someone who acts as his eyes and ears and assists him in key decision making.
However, even his critics agree that Pandian, whose wife Sujata is also an Odisha cadre IAS officer, has ensured Naveen passes the toughest of tests. And his administrative acumen and political astuteness contributed to the BJD’s landslide victory, for the fifth consecutive time, in Elections 2019
VK Pandian was the recipient of the Helen Keller Award for his work for the PWDs – a rare distinction for a bureaucrat. VK Pandian was conferred with the prestigious President’s award by International Hockey Federation.
