Aruna Sundararajan

Ms. Aruna Sundararajan is one of India's most distinguished civil servants, having served as the Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministries of Steel, IT, and Telecom before retiring as Chairperson of the Digital Communications Commission. A 1982 batch IAS officer from Kerala Cadre, she has over three decades of experience in leadership roles, particularly in Economic and Development Administration, Investment Promotion, and IT/Telecom domains.
 

As Telecom Secretary, Ms. Sundararajan spearheaded the rapid growth of telecommunications services, doubling telecom growth and laying the foundation for India's digital transformation. She was the driving force behind Digital India initiatives, especially during the post-demonetization phase, promoting e-Governance, inclusive growth of the Electronics and IT industries, and enhancing India's role in Internet Governance.
 

Her notable achievements include conceiving and heading India's first Mass Digital Literacy Programme 'Akshaya' in Kerala, leading the Rural Hi-Speed Broadband project NOFN to connect 250,000 Gram Panchayats, and serving as the Country Head of the UN's Global E-schools Initiative. She also played a crucial role in the rise of fintech, data governance, and the tech start-up revolution in India.
 

Post-retirement, Ms. Sundararajan continues to shape India's digital landscape as chairperson of the Broadband India Forum and serves on the advisory board of ICRIER. She is also a director on the boards of several prominent companies, including Delhivery Limited, Info Edge (India) Limited, L&T Technology Services Limited, and India's National Bank of Infra Financing and Development (NaBFID).
 

Her exceptional contributions have been widely recognized, with honors including Top Professional Women Achiever by India Today (2009) and Forbes Business Magazine (2012), the USIBC Transformative Leadership Award (2017), Business Today's 10 Most Powerful Women (2018), and Digital Woman of the Year by IAMAI (2019).

Ms. Sundararajan remains actively involved in various tech mentoring and angel financing initiatives, continuing to drive innovation and growth in India's digital ecosystem.