Ms. Kakarla Usha, a seasoned IAS officer from the 1994 batch of the Tamil Nadu cadre, has assumed the role of Commissioner of Tourism in the rank of Principal Secretary within the Government of Tamil Nadu. In this capacity, she also shoulders the responsibilities of Chairperson and Managing Director for the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) in place of Mr. Sandip Nanduri IAS. Ms. Kakarla Usha now steers the State Tourism Department, playing a pivotal role in shaping the state’s tourism initiatives.
Before this, Ms. Usha served as the Principal Secretary of the School Education Department. She earned her undergraduate degree in Economics from Ethiraj College, Chennai, and pursued her post-graduation at Hyderabad Central University. Additionally, she obtained an MBA from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) in New Delhi. Following her MBA, she embarked on her UPSC journey, successfully clearing the examination and entering the 1994 IAS batch. During her early IAS training, she distinguished herself by earning a gold medal in law.
Ms. Kakarla Usha commenced her career in the Indian Administrative Service as an Assistant Collector in Kancheepuram. Her dedication and capability led her to become a Sub-Collector in Periyakulam, followed by a role as Deputy Secretary in Adi-Dravidar and Tribal Welfare. Notably, she served as the Joint Chief Electoral Officer during the introduction of electronic voting machines in the 1999 parliamentary polls.
Subsequently, she took on the position of Joint Commissioner in Commercial Taxes, where she was instrumental in managing the transition from the Sales Tax regime to the VAT system. Ms. Usha further immersed herself in municipal administration as the Additional Commissioner of Education and Health within the Chennai Corporation. Her diverse career also included stints as the Director of the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Bangalore and as the Managing Director of TUFUSIL in Chennai. She also assumed the role of Chairperson and Managing Director at the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO).
Ms. Kakarla Usha hails from Vijayawada and is married to Mr. V. Sivaramakrishnan, who serves as the Managing Director of Oxford University Press. Their daughter, Shweta Sivaram, is a law graduate from NALSAR, Hyderabad, and their son, Arvind, is a proficient debater currently pursuing his undergraduate studies.
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