Thiruvananthapuram: The government of Kerala has appointed IAS Dr A Jayathilak (1991 batch) as the new Chief Secretary of Kerala, succeeding IAS Sarada Muraleedharan (1990 batch). Muraleedharan is set to retire at the end of April.
Dr Jayathilak currently holds the position of Additional Chief Secretary (Finance). He brings more than three decades of administrative experience across various key departments. He has held several significant positions throughout his career.
He began his career as the sub-collector of Mananthavady. Since then, he has held significant roles such as District Collector of Kollam and Kozhikode, Managing Director of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, Chairman of the Spices Board, and Secretary of Water Resources and Disaster Management.
In May 2023, he was appointed Additional Chief Secretary of the Taxes and Excise Department. Later, in March 2025, he was made Member Secretary of the Kerala State Planning Board, while continuing to hold responsibilities in the Finance Department.
IAS Sarada Muraleedharan had taken over as Chief Secretary in August 2024, following the retirement of her husband and batchmate V. Venu. Dr. Jayathilak will serve in the role of Chief Secretary until his retirement in June 2026.
