Venu Vasudevan

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Dr. Venu Vasudevan
Chief Secretary of Kerala
In office June 2023 – August 2024
Succeeded by	Sarada Muraleedharan
Personal details
Born	1964 Kozhikode, Kerala, India
Nationality	Indian
Spouse(s)	Sarada Muraleedharan
Children	2
Alma mater	Kozhikode Medical College, Malabar Christian College
Occupation	Retired IAS officer

Dr. Venu Vasudevan (born 1964) is a retired Indian civil servant who served as the Chief Secretary of Kerala from June 2023 to August 2024."Kerala Chief Secretary succeeded by spouse". Hindustan Times. 2024-08-14. A 1990-batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), he is known for his work in cultural administration, tourism, disaster recovery, and public sector reforms."Dr V Venu – Speaker Bio". Tourism and Leisure Studies.

Early life and education

Venu was born in Kozhikode, Kerala. His father, Vasudeva Panicker, was a central government employee and his mother, Dr. P.T. Rajamma, worked at Kozhikode Medical College."Doc-turned IAS officer Dr. V Venu is Kozhikode's pride". Mathrubhumi. He studied at Kendriya Vidyalaya and Malabar Christian College before obtaining his M.B.B.S. from Kozhikode Medical College.

He initially joined the Indian Revenue Service in 1988 and later the IAS in 1990, securing the 26th rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination."Dr. Venu – A humble IAS officer to serve as Chief Secretary". Mathrubhumi.

Career

Kerala Government

Sub-Collector, Thrissur: His first IAS posting where he was known for accessible and people-centric governance."Dr. V Venu's Journey to Chief Secretary". OnManorama.

Secretary, Kerala Tourism: Led Kerala’s rise as a global tourism brand through the "God’s Own Country" campaign and Responsible Tourism model.

Excise Commissioner: Reformed regulatory enforcement and increased transparency.

Food and Civil Supplies Secretary: Digitized the PDS and streamlined supply chains.

Principal Secretary, Revenue: Modernized land records and acquisition protocols.

Managing Director, KIAL: Led infrastructure and commercial operations at Kannur International Airport.

Chief Executive, Rebuild Kerala Initiative: Coordinated ₹4,800 crore World Bank-supported flood recovery projects.

Chief Secretary of Kerala: Oversaw administration during the post-COVID recovery, driving digital governance and welfare integration.

Central Government

Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Tourism: Contributed to the Incredible India campaign.

Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture: Supervised institutions like the National Museum, Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Salar Jung Museum.

Director General, National Museum: Modernized exhibits, improved outreach, and initiated youth-focused programs.

Vice Chancellor, National Museum Institute: Promoted heritage research and international collaboration.

Cultural Contributions

Venu founded the International Theatre Festival of Kerala and was instrumental in setting up the Keralam Museum. He has advocated for the integration of arts into governance and civic life.

Post-retirement

After retiring in August 2024, he became the Chairperson of the Kochi Biennale Foundation."Power couple: Kerala CS hands over baton to wife". Indian Express. 2024-08-12.

Personal life

He is married to Sarada Muraleedharan, an IAS officer from the same batch. She succeeded him as Chief Secretary. They have two children—Kalyani, a dancer, and Sabari, a visual artist.

Interests

A theatre enthusiast, Venu has acted in over 50 plays and is influenced by his cousin, Kavalam Narayana Panicker.

External links

Profile at Tourism and Leisure Studies Conference

Author page at SAGE Publishing

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