Manjula Subramaniam (1948-2023) was a 1972-batch Indian Administrative Service Officer of the Gujarat cadre. She is known for being the first woman chief secretary of Gujarat. On 1 January 2023, she passed away due to health-related issues at a hospital in Vadodara, Gujarat.
Wiki/Biography
Dr Manjula Subramaniam was born on Saturday, 18 September 1948 (age 74 years; as of 2022) in Tamil Nadu. Her zodiac sign is Virgo. Her hometown is Gujarat. Manjula did her graduation in physics and post-graduation in physics and public administration. She obtained a PhD in Commerce. Manjula also held a certificate in the German language.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Hair Colour: Salt & Pepper (dyed Black)
Eye Colour: Brown
Family
Parents & Siblings
Not much is known about her parents.
Career
Post receiving her IAS training, Manjula was posted as an Assistant Collector (Junior Scale) in Surat from 1 August 1974 to 1 June 1976. She then worked as an Assistant Collector under Secretary in the Land Revenue Management & District Administration department for around six months. On 1 January 1977, Manjula was appointed as District Dev Officer in Jamnagar. From 1 January 1978 to 1 April 1980, Subramaniam worked as the District Collector of Amreli. She then served as the District Collector of Junagadh for around two years. On 1 May 1982, Manjula was appointed as the Deputy Secretary of the Industries & Mines Department. On 1 April 1984, Manjula went on a central deputation and served as the Deputy Secretary of the Personnel & Administrative Reforms. She got appointed as Joint Chief Controller (Import & Export) of the Commerce Industry on 1 June 1986. Subsequently, Manujula served as the Director of the Commerce Industry for around eight months. On 1 June 1989, Manjula became a member of the Energy & Petrochemicals Department and Gujarat Electricity Board. She served there till 1 May 1993. Thereafter, she went on a central deputation for around 5 years, serving as the Joint Secretary to the Government of India. On 3 June 1998, Manjula was appointed as the Principal Secretary of the Urban Dev & Urban Housing Department. She also held the offices of Principal Secretary of the Energy & Petrochemicals Department and Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department. As the Principal Secretary of Energy & Petrochemicals, she worked for the ‘Jyoti Gram Yojana,’ an initiative of the Government of Gujarat, India, to ensure 24-hour, three-phase quality power supply in rural areas of the state. On 31 August 2007, she was appointed as the Chief Secretary of Gujarat; During that time PM Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Manjula retired from her services on 30 November 2008. Post her retirement, Manjula was appointed as the Chief Vigilance Commissioner of Gujarat. She was also a part of the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation. She also served as the Chairperson and Director in many state Public Sector Units. In June 2017, she was appointed as the head of the interim Gujarat Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), Gujarat.
Manjula Subramaniam attending a meeting as the head of the interim Gujarat Real Estate Regulatory Authority
In August 2020, Subramaniam was appointed as the additional director on the Board of Directors of Gujarat Gas Limited (GIPCL) for a tenure of five years. She resigned from the post in December 2022 on health grounds.
Death
On 1 January 2023, Manjula Subramaniam died at a hospital in Vadodara, Gujarat, due to health complications. She was facing health issues for some time and was admitted to the hospital a week before her demise. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat’s Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel took to social media to express their grief over her death. In a tweet, PM Modi said,
Anguished by the demise of veteran bureaucrat Dr Manjula Subramaniam Ji. She was widely respected for her understanding of policy-related issues and action-oriented approach. I recall my interactions with her when I was CM. Condolences to her family and friends. Om Shanti.”
Facts/Trivia
- Manjula Subramaniam loved reading books in her leisure time.
- She was well-versed in many languages including English, French, Gujarati, Hindi, German, and Tamil.