Mumbai, July 31: Former Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan is all set to take charge as the Chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Thursday, August 1. Sudan confirmed her appointment to news agency ANI. A member of the commission since 2022, Preeti Sudan will take over from Manoj Soni, who resigned a few days ago citing "personal reasons" amid the ongoing Puja Khedkar controversy.

While the commission continues to be the centre of the controversy, it's important to know who Preeti Sudan is. The former Union Health Secretary is a 1983 batch IAS officer from the Andhra Pradesh cadre. In July 2022, Preeti Sudan retired as Union Health Secretary. In the past, she also served as Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution and in the Ministry of Women and Child Development and Defence. Preeti Sudan Appointed As New UPSC Chairperson After Manoj Soni’s Resignation Amid Puja Khedkar Controversy.

Things To Know About Preeti Sudan

  • Preeti Sudan is a 1983 batch IAS officer who also served as the Union Health Secretary from October 2017 to July 2020.

  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sudan was one of the key strategists in the country.

  • She has been a member of the Union Public Service Commission since 2022.

  • Sudan has an MPhil in Economics and an MSc in Social Policy and Planning from the London School of Economics.

  • The former IAS officer has also been trained in public finance management from Washington, US.

  • In March 2023, Preeti Sudan took oath as a UPSC member.

  • In her career so far, Sudan has been credits for initiating flagship programmes such as the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao and Ayushman Bharat.

  • She also made a notable contribution to bringing Legislation on the National Medical Commission, Allied Health Professionals Commission, and a ban on E-cigarettes in the country. Who Is Manoj Soni? Know All About UPSC Chairman Who Resigned Citing ‘Personal Reasons’ Amid Controversy Surrounding Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar.

The Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS Officer Sudan also served as a consultant with the World Bank, as Chair of COP-8 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and as a member of WHO's Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 31, 2024 11:05 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).