Dr. Ramesh Kumar is an accomplished civil servant and thought leader in public administration. A 1982-batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service (Andhra Pradesh cadre), he holds a Ph.D., an M.A. in Economics, and a Bachelor of Law degree.

Over a distinguished career spanning nearly four decades, Dr. Kumar has held several pivotal roles. He served as Principal Secretary, Finance (2006–2009), and earlier as Joint Secretary in the State Finance Department.

During the critical period of Andhra Pradesh’s bifurcation, he served as Special Chief Secretary to the Governor (2009–2016), playing a key role in managing transitional and constitutional responsibilities. Following his superannuation, he became the first State Election Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh (2016–2021), conducting free and fair elections under challenging circumstances.

Dr. Kumar is the Founder-Secretary of Citizens for Democracy, a non-partisan civil society initiative aligned with the Election Commission of India’s objectives of voter awareness and citizen engagement. Under his leadership, Andhra Pradesh achieved its highest voter turnout of 82% in recent elections.

A prolific speaker on governance and public policy, Dr. Ramesh Kumar currently serves as the Director General of the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), a premier national institution advancing public policy, leadership, and capacity building in public service.