New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the empanelment of several senior officers from the 2001 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) for holding Additional Secretary and Additional Secretary-equivalent posts at the Centre. Among those cleared in the latest review are Shri Dodda Venkata Swamy and Shri R. Santhanagopalan, both of whom belong to the Odisha cadre.
Shri Dodda Venkata Swamy currently serves as the Chairman of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. His empanelment in Additional Secretary Rank follows a series of high-level assignments, including his previous role as Development Commissioner of the Cochin Special Economic Zone. His inclusion in this list reflects the central government’s recognition of his administrative expertise in trade and commerce sectors.
Shri R. Santhanagopalan, also from the 2001 batch of the Odisha cadre, has been similarly empanelled for Additional Secretary Eq. rank. He is now Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha. And Shri Santhanagopalan was promoted by the State Government to the rank of Principal Secretary effective January 1, 2026. His empanelment at the Centre marks his eligibility for senior policy-making roles within the Government of India’s various ministries.
The empanelment process, finalized through an official order by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), signifies the transition of the 2001 batch into the senior-most tiers of the federal bureaucracy. While this clearance makes the officers eligible for Additional Secretary-level appointments, specific central postings will be determined by subsequent vacancy-based orders.