Ajay Kumar

Ajay Kumar, born on October 2, 1962, is a prominent Indian civil servant who served as the Defence Secretary of India from August 2019 until October 2022. He is recognized as the longest-serving secretary in the Ministry of Defence, where he played a pivotal role in several key defense reforms and initiatives under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration.

Education and Early Career

Dr. Kumar holds a B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, an M.S. in Applied Economics, and a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. He joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1985 and has had a distinguished career spanning over 37 years in various policy-making roles within the Indian government.

Key Contributions

During his tenure as Defence Secretary, Dr. Kumar was instrumental in:

• Restructuring Defense Management: He was a key architect behind the establishment of the Chief of Defence Staff position and the Agniveer recruitment scheme, which aimed to reform personnel management in the Armed Forces.
• AtmaNirbhar Bharat Initiative: He led efforts to enhance self-reliance in defense production, including the corporatization of the Ordnance Factories Board and the launch of the Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX) program, which fosters a startup ecosystem for defense technologies.
• Digital India Initiatives: Before his role in defense, he contributed significantly to projects like Aadhaar and UPI as part of India's Digital India initiative.

Professional Roles

In addition to his role as Defence Secretary, Dr. Kumar has held various positions including:

• Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
• Director General at the National Informatics Centre.
• Principal Secretary for Information Technology in Kerala.
• Currently, he serves as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at IIT Kanpur and advises on technology and defense-related projects.

Recognition

Dr. Kumar has received several accolades throughout his career, including being named a Distinguished Alumnus of IIT Kanpur and receiving an Honorary Doctorate from Amity University. He has also been recognized for his leadership in engineering and public policy.

Current Engagements

Post-retirement, he continues to influence policy through his role as a nonresident senior fellow at Carnegie India and by contributing to various think tanks and educational institutions. He also writes regularly on defense strategy and technology topics.

Dr. Ajay Kumar's extensive experience and contributions have significantly shaped India's defense landscape during a transformative period for the country.