President's Press Secy post returns to IIS after 13 years

After more than a decade, the coveted post of Press Secretary to the President of India has returned to the government’s Indian Information Service (IIS) cadre.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and consisting of Union Home Minister has appointed Manisha Verma, a 1995-batch IIS officer, as Press Secretary to President Droupadi Murmu.

Verma, 55, will replace Ajay Singh, who served as Press Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind for three years and was again deputed with President Murmu. Singh's extended tenure ended on September 26 this year, warranting a fresh appointment. Verma moves on from the Ministry of Health, where she served as the government's media officer for 12 years, including during Covid-19.

The last IIS officer to serve as media officer to the President was Archana Datta. She was, however, not designated as Press Secretary and was called Officer on Special Duty (Public Relations) to President Pratibha Patil. Appointed in 2007, she stayed till 2012.

Manisha Verma takes charge

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Manisha Verma, 1995-batch Indian Information Service Officer, appointed Press Secretary to Murmu after incumbent Ajay Singh's tenure ends. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has also served as Press Secretary to President Shankar Dayal Sharma.

Before Datta, IIS veteran SM Khan, the longest serving media officer of the CBI, was chosen by then President APJ Abdul Kalam to serve as his Press Secretary. Khan was the first from IIS to grace the office of President's Press Secretary.

Traditionally, the Press Secretary to the President used to be from the Indian Foreign Services. Serving Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar was Press Secretary and speech writer for the ninth President Shankar Dayal Sharma.

Officials who have served in the President's House say APJ Kalam was the first to break the convention of IFS officers serving as press secretaries when he brought in SM Khan.

But this trend was reversed by late President Pranab Mukherjee, who chose IFS officer Venu Rajamony as his Press Secretary from 2012 to 2017. Mukherjee was, in fact, the first President to choose a veteran IIS officer, Omita Paul, as Secretary to President, a high-ranking bureaucratic post.

Former President Kovind again changed the trend and brought in Ashok Malik as Press Secretary. Officials recall the appointment of the first ever private person to the position as a trendsetter. Malik was followed in the position by another private person, Ajay Singh, a seasoned journalist. Manisha Verma, who took charge yesterday, brings the position back to IIS after 13 years.