Thiruvananthapuram: Alkesh Kumar Sharma, a senior IAS officer and secretary of the Union Ministry of Electronics and IT, has been appointed to the leadership of IGF, the United Nations Internet Governing Body. The appointment by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is seen as a recognition of India’s digital governance and next-generation technology.
Alkesh Kumar Sharma, a 1990 batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, was a former secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat. Only ten experts from different countries of the world are members of this committee. Nobel laureate and journalist Ramya Ressa and digital expert Vint Cerf are also members. The committee has five ex-officio members, including Amandeep Singh Gill, the representative of the United Nations Secretary-General. The tenure of the committee is for two years.
This committee is responsible for taking strategic and urgent decisions of the IGF. This committee, comprising experts from various fields, will also formulate policies related to the Internet in the public and private sectors. Other delegates are from America, Egypt, Dedark, Mexico, Estonia, Philippines, Austria, Nigeria and China. Alkesh Kumar Sharma, a native of Rajasthan, will become the Union Electronics-IT Secretary in May 2022. He was the National Project Director of UNDP’s Urban Development Poverty Alleviation Project. He also served as CEO, MD and Member Secretary of Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and National Industrial Development Corridor.
He was Joint Secretary, Central Surface Transport Department, Kerala Tourism Director (2001-2004) KSIDC MD (2009-2012) BPCL, Keltron, Western India Plywood, Apollo Tyres, Geogis BNP Paribas Financial Services and Indian Rare Earths Limited.
He is an official who worked closely with the urban development projects of the central government for five years as the director of the Ministry of Urban Development. He also served in the departments of infrastructure, finance, industry, agriculture, etc. as an inclusive city plan to address urban poverty. He was also a member of the committee formed by the Prime Minister for the implementation of the project.
