Anuradha Thakur Becomes First Woman Economic Affairs Secretary and Joins SEBI Board

Trailblazing appointment of Anuradha Thakur

Anuradha Thakur Becomes First Woman Economic Affairs Secretary and Joins SEBI Board: Anuradha Thakur, a senior IAS officer from the 1994 batch of Himachal Pradesh cadre, is creating history. From July 1, 2025, she steps into two major roles—Economic Affairs Secretary and a part-time member of the SEBI Board. This appointment makes her the first woman to ever serve as Economic Affairs Secretary in India. She replaces Ajay Seth, who retires on June 30, 2025.

This is a significant administrative milestone, especially in the context of India’s push for greater gender representation in top bureaucratic roles. Over the years, this post has been held by towering personalities such as Dr. Manmohan Singh and Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Career and key contributions

Hailing originally from Bihar, Thakur has held multiple influential roles. She served as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and was once the Director of the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO). Her administrative experience also includes a term as Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Economic Affairs, placing her at the core of India’s financial decision-making processes.

Some of her noteworthy initiatives include leading the PM Internship Programme, the 3Is campaign (Inquiry, Inspection, and Investigation), and playing a vital role in the strategic disinvestment of Air India. She also contributed significantly to launching the Bharat Bond ETF, a first-of-its-kind corporate debt ETF in India, and steering the asset monetisation programme under DIPAM (Department of Investment and Public Asset Management).

Induction to SEBI and expected RBI role

Thakur will now serve on the SEBI Board as an ex-officio part-time member, replacing Ajay Seth. Other board members include the RBI Deputy Governor and Corporate Affairs Secretary Deepti Gaur Mukerjee. A separate notification is awaited for her formal induction into the RBI Central Board, where she is likely to serve alongside M Nagaraju, the Financial Services Secretary, as a government nominee.

Impact as Economic Affairs Secretary

As Economic Affairs Secretary, Thakur’s responsibilities will span fiscal policy, international economic relations, and government borrowing plans. One critical role will be engaging with international credit rating agencies as India seeks a sovereign rating upgrade. Her experience in regulatory reform and public asset management makes her well-suited for this role.

This appointment is also symbolic. It sends a message about India’s intent to put competent women leaders at the helm of crucial economic and regulatory reforms.

Static Usthadian Current Affairs Table