Bengaluru (16.07.2024): Shalini Rajneesh (IAS: 1989: KN), additional Chief Secretary, is likely to succeed husband Rajneesh Goel (IAS: 1986: KN) as Chief Secretary (CS) of Karnataka who is retiring on July 31, 2024. The government appears to have chosen Shalini over Ajai Seth (IAS: 1987: KN), another senior Karnataka-cadre IAS officer currently on central deputation and is secretary of the department of economics till June 30, 2025. Shalini is expected to serve until June 30, 2027, giving her close to three years in service.

Shalini will be the third bureaucrat in Karnataka’s history to succeed her husband as CS. Malati Das (Retd IAS: 1970: KN), who served as CS from October 2 to December 30, 2006, succeeded her husband BK Das, who held the position from March 1 to September 30, 2006. BK Bhattacharya and Teresa Bhattacharya (Retd IAS: 1965: KN) were the first couple to serve as chief secretaries of Karnataka. Bhattacharya held the position in 2000, and Teresa served from July 2, 2001 to March 30, 2002.