2014-batch IFS officer Nidhi Tewari named private secretary to PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Nidhi Tewari , a 2014-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, has been appointed as private secretary to PM Narendra Modi , becoming the first woman to get such a posting in recent history. Incidentally, she is from Mehmurganj in UP's Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency Modi has been representing in Lok Sabha since 2014.

At present, Tewari is serving as deputy secretary in Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

In an order, the personnel department said, "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Nidhi Tewari, IFS (2014), currently serving as deputy secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, as private secretary to the prime minister, in level 12 of the pay matrix with immediate effect, on a co-terminus basis or until further orders, whichever is earlier."

The officer served as assistant commissioner (commercial tax) in Varanasi before clearing the civil services examination.

Before joining PMO, she worked in the foreign ministry's disarmament and international security affairs division. In 2022, she joined PMO as under secretary and was subsequently promoted to the post of deputy secretary in 2023. At PMO, she served in the 'foreign and security' section and took care of areas, including foreign affairs, security and atomic energy.