Former Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Parameswaran Iyer appointed as Niti Aayog CEO

Iyer had taken voluntary retirement from the Indian Administrative Service in 2009

Parameswaran Iyer, the man behind the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat Mission, will take over as CEO of Niti Aayog as incumbent Amitabh Kant is superannuating on June 30 after six years.

Iyer, a 1981-batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, who took voluntary retirement in 2009, to join the water and sanitation initiatives at the World Bank, was called back by Modi to spearhead Swachch Bharat Mission from 2016-2020. He was appointed the head of the drinking and sanitation department and lead the Swachh Bharat Mission from 2016-2020.

Before that he worked in Vietnam, China, Egypt, Lebanon and Washington for the World Bank.

In 2020, Iyer resigned from the position and returned to the United States to join the World Bank and be close to his family. He was again called by the Modi government. This time to take over as CEO of Niti Aayog.

Kant, a 1980-batch IAS officer, is credited with making Modi's "Make in iIndia" a success and is regarded as one of the most influential policy makers.