Daijiworld Media Network – Kolar
Kolar, Apr 21: In a landmark achievement for Karnataka, K S Somashekhar from Kolar district has been appointed as secretary in the Rajya Sabha secretariat, becoming the first Kannadiga to occupy the prestigious post.
Describing the position as one of immense responsibility, Somashekhar expressed gratitude for the opportunity. He told The New Indian Express that he would always remember the guidance of H Hanumanthappa in helping him prepare for the secretariat examination, and the support extended by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda throughout his career.
Somashekhar hails from Neelaturu, a small mango-growing village in Srinivasapura taluk of Kolar district. He completed his schooling at a government school in Ronur before graduating from Government College, Kolar.
He went on to earn a PhD from Kuvempu University, where he undertook a comparative study on farmers’ distress. In addition, he holds MPhil and MA (Literature) degrees and began his professional journey as a guest lecturer in Chintamani.
After clearing the secretariat examination, he entered government service and went on to hold several key positions. These include serving as deputy resident commissioner at Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, joint director (administration) in the Department of Information Technology, and Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the deputy chief minister of Karnataka during 2018–19.
Fluent in English, Hindi, Telugu and Tamil, Somashekhar noted that his bond with his mother tongue Kannada remains strong.
Looking ahead, he said he hopes to return to his native village after retirement, focus on agriculture, and engage in teaching activities for the younger generation, following in the footsteps of his father, a retired government school teacher.
He added that his wife is a railway officer, his daughter is pursuing medical education, and his son has completed a law degree.