In a rare move, the central government on Friday (August 29, 2025) approved the extension of Telangana Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao’s (IAS:1988:TG) tenure by seven months, allowing him to continue in office until March 2026. Rao, who took charge as Chief Secretary on April 30 this year, was due to retire on August 30.

Unlike the conventional practice of granting extensions for three or six months, the Union government sanctioned Rao’s extension in a single stretch of seven months, marking an unusual precedent in administrative appointments.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had formally requested Rao’s continuation on July 30, citing his vast administrative experience and ability to provide stability during a crucial phase of governance.

This decision is significant in Telangana’s administrative history. Since the state’s formation in 2014, only the first Chief Secretary, Rajiv Sharma, was given an extension—six months in total but split into two phases of three months each. Rao’s case stands out as the first instance of a one-time, seven-month extension.

Rao, a seasoned and non-controversial bureaucrat known for his financial acumen, holds the rare distinction of drafting 14 consecutive state Budgets as Finance Secretary since 2015.