N Muruganandam, a seasoned bureaucrat and 1991-batch officer, has been appointed as the 50th Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu. Known for his pivotal role as Industries Secretary, where he secured major investments from companies like Ola and Tata Electronics during the COVID-19 pandemic, Muruganandam will succeed Shiv Das Meena. Meena, who is set to retire in October, will take over as the Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Authority for the next five years.
Muruganandam, who moves from his role as Secretary-1 to Chief Minister M K Stalin, will now occupy the second floor of the iconic Fort St. George. A native of Chennai and an alumnus of Anna University, he has served in various key roles both in Tamil Nadu and New Delhi, including as the Finance Secretary in November 2021 and as Principal Secretary (Industries) since March 2019.
During his tenure as Industries Secretary, Tamil Nadu took significant steps to attract multinational companies looking to diversify their supply chains away from China. He played a crucial role in bringing major investments from Pegatron, Tata Electronics, and Ola to the state. Muruganandam was also a key member of a Special Task Force established in April 2020 to attract new investments from companies relocating their manufacturing bases.
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Muruganandam’s leadership and trusted rapport with various Chief Ministers and ministers have earned him a reputation as one of the finest officers in Tamil Nadu.
