Senior Advisors

Shri K. Padmanabhaiah was born on 6th Oct, 1938 in a village in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh. He holds a Masters degree in Science from Andhra University and a Masters degree in Financial Management, from the prestigious Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management, Mumbai. In 1961, he joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) as part of the Maharashtra cadre. He served The Government of Maharashtra in a variety of important positions like Director of Sugar Co-operatives; District Collector, Nashik; Principal Secretary, Planning; Principal Secretary, Finance and Municipal Commissioner of Greater Bombay.

His tenure as Director of Sugar Co-Operatives (1970-74) saw the most spectacular growth of sugar Industry in the State and it received national and international recognition. He was invited by various State Governments to advise them on development of co-operative sugar factories.  During his tenure as Collector (1975-77), Nashik district was adjudged as one of the best districts in the country in performance of the 20-point program of the Prime Minister and his initiatives were widely appreciated by the National press. He performed a stellar role as Municipal Commissioner, Greater Bombay (1990-91) and he was awarded the prestigious Gaints International’s Award for excellence in Civic Administration.

He served Government of India as Joint Secretary, Petroleum (1982-84); Joint Secretary, Power (1984-86); Minister Economic in Indian High Commission in London (1986-1989) and Secretary, Urban Development and Housing (1993). In 1993, Maharashtra and Karnataka States were struck by a devastating earthquake. The Government asked him to chair an ‘Advisory Committee of International Experts’ on reconstruction and rehabilitation of the earthquake affected areas. The Committee’s report served as a blue-print for the entire rehabilitation and reconstruction work with aid from the World Bank. Subsequently he worked as Secretary Civil Aviation; Chairman of both ‘Air India’ and ‘Indian Airlines’ (1994) and as Union Home Secretary and Secretary, Jammu & Kashmir Affairs (1994-1997).

By 1994 the entire civil administration and political process in the Kashmir valley was in disarray, and insurgency was at its peak. As Union Home Secretary, he played an extremely crucial role in reviving the political process in Jammu & Kashmir State during 1994-1997, and in holding the very first elections in the insurgency ridden State after a gap of nine years. His work received nation-wide recognition and he was awarded the ‘Shiromani Award’ for National Development and Integration (1996) and the ‘Priyadarshini Award’ for outstanding Public Service (1996). After retirement in 1997 he was appointed as the Government of India Representative for Naga Peace talks. He persuaded the Naga rebel leadership who were based abroad for decades, to come back to India, persuaded them to move away from their rigid stand of sovereignty, continued the dialogue with patience & perseverance, and persuaded them to continue the ceasefire which led to peace in Nagaland and Naga-inhabited areas of the North East. He relinquished this post on 31st August 2009 on completion of the tenure.

He also chaired the Committee on Police Reforms (2000), the Committee on Re-organization of S.S.B., and the Committee to Review the working of National Institute of Urban Management. Most of his recommendations on police reforms have been accepted for implementation by the Government. In 2008, he was awarded ‘Padma Bhushan’ by the President of India for outstanding contributions to the Nation in the field of Civil Service.

Dr. Mohan Kanda is an Indian Administrative Service officer of the 1968 batch. He did his schooling from All Saints High School, Hyderabad and his Bachelors and Masters in Mathematics from Nizam College, Osmania University. He was awarded Ph.D in Mathematics by Osmania University for his thesis. He retired as Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh in 2005. He is working as a member of National Disaster Management Authority. Dr. Mohan Kanda started his career with State Bank of India as an Officer. After becoming an IAS officer he began working with the Government of Andhra Pradesh. He was also Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India and served as Vice Chairman, National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA). He worked as a Secretary in the Union Ministry of Agriculture before working as Chief Secretary in Chandrababu Naidu's government and later with the YS Rajasekhara Reddy government.

He is a member of the steering committee on Agriculture and Allied Sectors for the formulation of the 12th Five Year Plan (2012–17) for Planning Commission. He was made head of a committee that would look into the problems faced by the Coastal Andhra riots in declaring a crop holiday.

Mr. KC Reddy has won a gold medal while pursuing his Masters in Andhra University and is a recipient of The President's police medal.

He has held senior security managerial positions in The Government of India for 24 years and worked as Chief Security Advisor in The United Nations for 14 years. He was a member of the UN Secretary - General's Board of Inquiry on the Israel-Gaza incidents (2014-15) and attended UN sponsored training courses/workshops on leadership, personnel management, risk analysis, hostage incident management, planning and implementing of security schemes.

As Chief security advisor, Mr. KC Reddy provided leadership to a large number of security personnel planned and implemented crisis management and conflict resolution measures, managed hostage taking incidents, conducted risk analysis and prepared security plans for the UN personnel and assets.

As Deputy Director and Joint Director he was in-charge for security for the President of India and Prime Minister of India. He interacted with security and diplomatic agencies of more than 50 countries. He also coordinated security arrangements for Independence Day and Republic Day functions in Delhi on 10 occasions. He also supervised security operations for SAARC summit in Delhi. He was also a member of "Atlantic Olympic security committee" in 1996.

As an IPS officer, Mr. KC Reddy commanded an armed police battalion, and worked as Superintendent of police of a capital district for 7 years. He maintained law and order, supervised crime investigation and traffic management. As Deputy Inspector General of Police, he was in-charge of administration, training range and armed police.

Mr. KC Reddy worked in UN field missions in Tajikistan(1998-2000); East Timor (2000-2003); Haiti and Sudan(2004); Burundi and Liberia (2005-2006). He has worked in challenging multi ethnic environments, developed and implemented complex security operations, conducted risk assessments and implemented security plans, relocation and evacuation plans. He planned and organized physical security strategies to large UN complexes.

Mr M V Krishna Rao, IPS, was the tenth Director General of "Sashastra Seema Bal" (SSB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs. "Sashastra Seema Bal" is a border guarding force under the Ministry of Home Affairs guarding the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders.

Mr Rao is a 1974 batch IPS Officer of Andhra Pradesh Cadre. Mr Rao, a distinguished Police Officer, joined the Indian Police Service on July 18, 1974. He held several important posts, including Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City, Director, AP Police Academy, and Hyderabad. On Central deputation, Mr Rao joined the CRPF as ADG, North Zone in November 2006 and then took over as ADG (HQ) at CRPF Directorate General, New Delhi in September 2007.

Mr Rao is a well decorated officer. He is the recipient of Indian Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 1991, and President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 1998.

Postgraduate in Physics from Delhi University. Joined Indian Police Service in 1986. Allotted to erstwhile Andhra Pradesh cadre. Joined Intelligence Bureau in 1993 on the basis of permanent secondment. Superannuated from Intelligence Bureau as Special Director in March 2020.

In Andhra Pradesh, served as Assistant Superintendent of Police in crime prone Prodattur subdivision of Kadapa district, as Additional Superintendent and Superintendent of Police in Naxal infested Adilabad and Nalgonda districts, respectively. Also served as Deputy commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City and Commandant Special Armed Police.

During about 27 years of service in the Intelligence Bureau, had field assignments in insurgency affected north eastern sector, extremist affected eastern zone ,and in western region handling counter espionage, counter terrorism and counter organised crime. 

At the headquarters, handled counter terrorism, counter Left Extremism, and social movement desks. Headed the Analysis wing of the Bureau and oversaw Training.

Also had an assignment in a diplomatic mission abroad.

Decorations: IPM, PPM , and Kathin Seva Padak.

Mohan Guruswamy did his undergraduate education in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry at Nizam College, Hyderabad, India. He has post-graduate qualifications in Public Policy, International Affairs and Management. He is an alumnus of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University and the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University.

Mohan Guruswamy is currently the Chairman of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, a New Delhi-based think-tank. With an interesting career path that included Teaching, Senior Management, and Journalism and in Government being the Advisor to the Finance Minister with the rank of Secretary to the Government of India.

Mr. Mohan Guruswamy has widely travelled in India and abroad, and is the author of several books on policy issues, some of the recent titles being The Looming Crisis in India’s Agriculture. India: Issues in Development. India’s World: Essays in Foreign Policy and Security Issues. India China Relations: The Border Issue and Beyond. Chasing the Dragon: Will India Catch-up with China?

He is a frequent commentator on national and International TV and Radio on matters of current affairs and writes a widely read and disseminated newspaper and magazine column. His papers on Redefining Poverty, Income Inequality, Backwardness of Bihar, Economic Development in West Bengal, FDI in Retail have been published in well regarded journals like the Economic and Political Weekly, Seminar and the Journal of Public Policy, UK.

Brigadier (Dr) L C Patnaik, Former Chairman, Odisha Public Service Commission(OPSC) is a decorated Infantry Officer with services  in Indian Army, Ministries of External Affairs and Home  and Public Service Commission.  He has held various key operational and command appointments at Line of Control (J&K), Siachen Glacier and Indo-China border. He served as India’s Defence Adviser at the Embassy of India (Tehran), Iran and as a Member of Indian Military Training Team, Bhutan.  He was  Member/Chairman of OPSC and President of Services Selection Board(SSB).

Brigadier (Dr) Patnaik is a qualified Interviewing Officer with a rare distinction of being the only person in the country to head both civil services and defence forces selection organisations and has conducted   appx 17000 multi-domain interviews for all services and posts (Group A/B) of the Govt.  During his tenure at OPSC, He has enhanced the selection rate by nearly 400% (first time in seven decades), reduced litigation by 80% and ushered technological transformation in conduct of examinations,  promotion and discipline concurrences. A brief of Achievements are enclosed at Annexure 1.

The officer has a unique combined experience of immense practical knowledge and academics with three Master’s degree in Defence Studies, Psychology and Business Administration and  PhD in Strategic Studies. His other professional qualifications are in the field of higher defence management,  personality  assessment,  disaster management, media studies and defence diplomacy.  He is a regular speaker on national/international security, leadership and management issues at many educational and research Institutes.

He  has an  in depth  knowledge  of  the  Indian  Constitution   and is fully  conversant with dynamics  of Centre-State  relations  and  functioning  of a  large number of    departments  at both  the  Centre and  State  Govt.

Dr. Francis Raj is currently the Chief Research Advisor at the Center for Human Security Studies (CHSS), Hyderabad. Dr. Francis Raj holds a Doctorate from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi.

Dr. Francis Raj has worked with many national and international organizations such as World Bank, US Aid and Asian Development Bank. He also holds a Post-doctorate from Uppsala University, Sweden.

Mr. M. Anantharamakrishnan has started his career on various hi‐tech sectors with the French Trade Commission followed by his expatriation to France, Spain, and various African countries along with hands on experience over 44 countries within Latin America, Africa, USA, Europe, Indian Ocean and some parts of Asia.