Jaipur: Senior IAS officer Usha Sharma has been appointed the new Chief Secretary of Rajasthan. She is the second woman bureaucrat to occupy top position in the state. In 2009, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had appointed Kushal Singh as the first woman Chief Secretary of the state. Sharma has succeeded Niranjan Arya, who has retired from the service. As the Chief Secretary, Usha Sharma will invariably be the chief advisor to the Chief Minister as well.

Until now, she was serving as Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry in New Delhi on deputation. She has been in Delhi on deputation since May 2012 during which she also served as the Additional Director General of Tourism, Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, and Additional Secretary of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.

In Rajasthan, Sharma has held the posts of Principal Secretary, Tourism; Commissioner, Tourism; Commissioner, Industries, and Secretary, Urban Development and Housing among others. /BI/