First Telugu bureaucrat to become CAG of India

Amaravati: Kondru Sanjay Murthy, who took over as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India on Thursday, is the first Telugu bureaucrat to hold the key post. A distinguished bureaucrat from the Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh, Murthy was sworn in as the CAG by President Droupadi Murmu. He succeeded Girish Chandra Murmu.

Murthy, a 1989 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, is the 15th CAG of India and the first Telugu to be appointed on the key position. He was Higher Education Secretary in the Government of India before being appointed as the CAG.

Born on December 24, 1964, Sanjay Murthy is the son of former Amalapuram MP, KSR Murthy. Senior Murthy was elected to the Lok Sabha from Amalapuram in 1996 on a Congress party ticket. Before entering politics, he was also an IAS officer and had served as a secretary in the Government of India.

Sanjay Murthy studied Mechanical Engineering before he was selected for the Civil Services under Himachal Pradesh cadre in 1989.

Currently serving in the central services, he has been holding the post of Higher Education Secretary since 2021.

He played a key role in the implementation of the New Education Policy of the Government of India.

Sanjay was due to retire from Civil Services next month. However, recognising his services, the Centre appointed him to the key post of Comptroller and Auditor General.

He will have an important role as the head of the body which audits the government’s finances. Sanjay served in both the state and central governments and held several important positions. He is known for his vast experience in governance, administration, and financial management.

He worked in Himachal Pradesh in various capacities including Deputy Commissioner in three districts, Managing Director of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation and Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Housing and Urban Development.

He also served in the departments of Primary Education, Higher Education and Technical Education.

The IAS officer was on central deputation between 2002 and 2007. During this period, he served in the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

He was also associated with the National Institute for Smart Governance (NISG), focussing on e-governance initiatives.