New Delhi: Former principal secretary to the Prime Minister, Nripendra Misra, has been appointed chairperson of the executive council of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML).
According to the order dated January 14, the Executive Council (EC) of the NMML has been reconstituted and it will be now chaired by Misra.
The order adds that A Surya Prakash, chairperson of the Prasar Bharati board, will be the council’s vice chairperson.
Among other eminent persons who find themselves on the reconstituted executive council are Rajya Sabha members Vinay Sahasrabudhhe and Swapan Dasgupta.
Academic Kapil Kapoor has also been nominated as a member of the committee apart from the Director NMML, and two senior bureaucrats of the Culture Ministry as ex-officio members of the eight-member panel.
Significantly, the appointment of the veteran bureaucrat comes at a time when NMML is working to set up a Museum of Prime Ministers.
When contacted for a comment, Misra said that he has not received the order.
Asked if he was looking forward to the new job, he replied “Once I receive the order, I’ll try to live up to it’’.
Also read: ‘Tough taskmaster’ Nripendra Misra endeared himself to Modi, but not to all civil servants
Misra, 74, is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1967 batch. Before serving as the principal secretary to the Prime Minister, Misra worked in several top positions including as the chairperson of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), secretary, Telecom and secretary, Fertilizers.
In August last year, when the Modi government returned for its second term in office, Misra expressed his desire to be relieved of his duties as the principal secretary to the PM.
At that time, PM Modi described Misra on Twitter as “among the most outstanding officers, who has a great grasp of public policy and administration”. PM Modi recalled that when he was new to Delhi in 2014, Misra “taught me a lot and his guidance remains extremely valuable”.
“After serving the PMO assiduously and diligently for over five years and making an indelible contribution to India’s growth trajectory, Shri Nripendra Misra Ji will be embarking on a new phase of his life. My best wishes to him for his future endeavours,” he added. Following Misra’s exit, 1972-batch officer of Gujarat cadre Pramod Kumar Mishra was made the principal secretary to the prime minister.
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