Meet Team KCR, who keep Telangana's wheels running

In a span of less than three years, Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has progressed from being a leader of an agitation to an able administrator displaying what good governance means. While the CM and his cabinet do deserve maximum credit, there is a team of silent toilers, who, away from the gleam of the media, have been doing their bit to ensure that the TRS government means business.Meet the ladies and the gentlemen behind the Telangana regime
While KCR's close aides T Harish Rao, K Kesava Rao, B Vinod, and A Jitender Reddy are given responsibility to monitor the TRS's political activity , at the centre of the administrative machinery is his core team that toils day and night and ensure that the state government delivers remarkable schemes. The silent team comprises senior officials who are endowed with enormous experience in government service. They include chief advisor Rajiv Sharma, the CM's principal secretary S Narsing Rao, additional principal secretary Santhi Kumari, special secretary P Rajasekhar Reddy, additional secretary Smita Sabarwal and special secretary K Bhupal Reddy .
Rajiv Sharma | Chief advisor to the government
The man played a key role in the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. As additional secretary in the Union home ministry , Rajiv was associated with the Sri Krishna Committee, which prepared the ground for the division of the state. After the formation of Telangana, Rajiv became its first chief secretary .He played a crucial role in the transformation of the government and change of guard. He was the brain behind the reorganization of districts and also played a key role in the resolution of contentious bifurcation-related issues with Andhra Pradesh. Sharma gives advice to KCR on all important matters and is the only person who can sit in any meeting along with the chief minister.
S Narsing Rao | Principal secretary to the chief minister
The senior IAS officer who is now head of the chief minister's office has been the man Friday of K Chandrasekhar Rao. He quit as chairman and managing director of Coal India to join the Telangana CMO with the aim of contributing his bit to the newly formed state.Known as KCR's ears and eyes in the government, he supervises key departments, which include home, finance, energy , GAD, information technology , roads and buildings.
A Shanti Kumari | Additional principal secretary
A 1989 batch IAS officer, Shanti Kumari is a mix of clear vision and focused effort in the Telangana CMO. Among her achievements is the successful implementation of the industrial policy of the state. She also takes care of collection of tax revenue and is credited for ensuring that Telangana's revenue was not adversely impacted when the rest of the country was reeling under demonetization.
P Rajasekhar Reddy | Special secretary
Rajashekar Reddy's association with KCR is more than a decade old. He was officer on special duty (OSD) when KCR was Union labour minister in UPA-1.He was regional provident fund commissioner before joining the KCR team. He looks after important departments like education and health, where major changes have been initiated by the TRS government.
Smitha Sabarwal | Additional secretary
Smitha is known as the livewire of the CMO.She handles important portfolios like irrigation, land revenue, agriculture and housing. She was handpicked by KCR, and is the first woman officer to be chosen for such an assignment.Having worked as collector of Karimnagar and Medak districts, she has vast experience about the issues that districts face. She is said to be the brain behind many pro-farmer initiatives of the TRS government.