Who Is Parameswaran Iyer — The Next CEO Of NITI Aayog?
Parameswaran Iyer, named the next chief executive officer of NITI Aayog, dons many hats.
A sanitation expert, a water conservationist, a tennis player who represented India, a former officer of the Indian Administrative Service and more. Parameswaran Iyer, named the next chief executive officer of NITI Aayog, dons many hats.
Iyer will succeed Amitabh Kant who completes his term on June 30, according to a notification by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievance and Pensions. He has been appointed for a period of two years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
A 1981-batch retired officer of the Indian Administrative Service of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, his terms and condition will be the same as were applicable for Kant.
Iyer quit Indian Civil Services in 2009 and moved to work for the World Bank. According to information shared by NITI Aayog spokesperson, in 2016, he got a call to return to India and head the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
Iyer is the man behind one of India’s largest government-run programmes, the Swachh Bharat Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission. For the last six years, he has led the Swachh Bharat Mission in rural India, focusing on making India open defecation free along with working towards the aim of providing piped to all households by 2024.
It was his idea to rope in actor Akshay Kumar as the brand ambassador of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Iyer quit as secretary in July 2020 and returned to the World Bank in the U.S. At World Bank, he worked closely with Piers Cross, among the most influential global water and sanitation activists. Iyer also participated and led various water-conservation projects.
Iyer was born in Srinagar to an Indian Air Force officer, went to St Stephen’s College in Delhi and represented India at the Junior Davis Cup.
