ARUNA SUNDARARAJAN, IAS

Ms. Aruna Sundararajan is India’s Telecom Secretary and one of the most senior civil servants of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in the country. A 1982 batch IAS officer from Kerala Cadre, Ms. Sundararajan, has over three decades of experience in a variety of leadership roles in the Central and State Governments, especially in Economic and Development Administration, Investment Promotion and IT/Telecom Domains. Presently, as the Secretary in the Ministry of Telecom, she is spearheading the rapid growth of telecommunications services, which is the basic underlying platform for comprehensive development of the country.

Ms. Sundararajan, in her earlier capacity as the Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, was the force behind driving the Digital India initiatives particularly during the post-demonetization phase. She was a catalyst in promoting e-Governance for empowering citizens, promoting the inclusive and sustainable growth of the Electronics, IT & ITeS industries, enhancing India’s role in Internet Governance, adopting a multipronged approach that includes development of human resources, promoting R&D and innovation, enhancing efficiency through digital services and ensuring a secure cyber space. She has experience in heading large infrastructural projects, including PPPs and lead India's Rural Hi-Speed Broadband project NOFN, to connect 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats across India under the Digital India Programme. She also conceived and headed India’s first Mass Digital Literary Programme ‘Akshaya’ where over one million people were trained in basic digital skills in the state of Kerala.

She had held many important positions including the Country Head of the Global E schools Initiative of the UN and CEO of the prestigious Common Service Centre Project under the National E-Governance Project, of the Government of India. She has also served as the Secretary to the Ministry of Steel, Govt. of India, Additional Secretary, Telecom & Administrator, Universal Service Obligation Fund, Government of India and CMD, BBNL [Bharat Broadband Network Limited]

Ms. Sundararajan was honoured as one of the top professional women achievers by India Today in 2009 and by Forbes Business Magazine in Aug 2012 & by Business World (BW) as one of the most important women in India in March, 2017. She was also honored with the USIBC Transformative Leadership Award 2017 for distinguished public service and her commitment to advancing U.S.-India cooperation and Digital India, constituted by the US-India Business Council.