Who Is Raja Sekhar Reddy Lakkadi? Retired IRS Officer Named TGPCB Chairman for Three Years
The Telangana government has appointed retired Indian Revenue Service officer Raja Sekhar Reddy Lakkadi as the new Chairman of the Telangana Pollution Control Board (TGPCB), bringing an experienced former tax administrator with a background in cyber law and enforcement into a key environmental regulatory role.
Lakkadi, a 1990-batch IRS officer from the Income Tax Department under the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), has been given a three-year tenure as Chairman. The appointment was formally notified by the Telangana government through Government Order (GO) Ms No. 33 issued by the Environment, Forests, Science and Technology Department on September 7, 2026.
The latest order partially modifies earlier government orders issued in January 2021 and March 2024 relating to the constitution and composition of the Telangana Pollution Control Board. The government has specifically cited Lakkadi’s special knowledge and practical experience in environmental protection while making the appointment.
Who Is Raja Sekhar Reddy Lakkadi?
Raja Sekhar Reddy Lakkadi is a retired 1990-batch Indian Revenue Service officer who served in the Income Tax, or CBDT, cadre. His professional career spans roughly 36 years, during which he worked across tax administration as well as areas involving cyber law, technology and enforcement.
Over the course of his long government service, Lakkadi handled several senior-level responsibilities within the Income Tax Department. Among the prominent positions he held before retirement was that of Director General for the PG Diploma in Cyber. He also served as Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (TDS) in Chennai.
His career therefore extends beyond conventional tax administration. His experience in cyber law and enforcement has given him exposure to emerging technology-related challenges, legal issues and specialised regulatory work. That combination of administrative experience, legal knowledge and enforcement exposure now forms part of his professional profile as he takes charge of the state’s pollution control authority.
Educational Qualifications of Lakkadi
Lakkadi has an academic background covering science, law and cyber law. He holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree, along with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB).
He also possesses a Post Graduate Diploma in Cyber Law, an additional qualification that complements his professional experience in technology-related enforcement and legal matters. His education and career have consequently brought together three important areas – administration, law and technology.
This combination is particularly relevant to his new assignment because modern environmental regulation increasingly involves complex compliance mechanisms, legal frameworks, technological monitoring and enforcement. The Telangana government’s order has also specifically recognised his knowledge and practical experience in environmental protection.
Lakkadi Takes Charge of TGPCB
With the September 7 government order, Lakkadi has taken over as Chairman of the Telangana Pollution Control Board. His appointment represents a change from the earlier arrangement under which the Chief Secretary to the Telangana government served as Chairman of the Board along with other government officials and non-official members.
The TGPCB has a crucial regulatory role in Telangana’s environmental administration. It is responsible for implementing pollution-control regulations and overseeing compliance with environmental standards across the state.
The Board’s responsibilities cover a wide range of issues, including air pollution, water pollution, industrial emissions, waste management and broader environmental protection. It also plays an important role in ensuring that industries and other regulated entities comply with applicable pollution-control requirements.
At a time when environmental regulation increasingly requires a combination of administrative oversight, technical assessment and effective enforcement, the government has placed an experienced former senior officer at the helm of the Board.
Why Lakkadi’s Experience Matters
Lakkadi’s professional journey is somewhat different from that of a conventional environmental administrator. His decades-long association with the Income Tax Department exposed him to taxation, regulatory administration and enforcement, while his work in cyber law brought an additional technology-focused dimension to his career.
His experience in handling senior responsibilities, particularly in areas involving enforcement and compliance, could prove useful in a regulatory institution such as the TGPCB. Pollution control also involves monitoring, inspections, regulatory compliance and action against violations, making administrative and enforcement experience an important part of the broader institutional framework.
The government order, however, goes beyond his tax and enforcement background by explicitly referring to his special knowledge and practical experience in environmental protection. That specific reference forms the basis cited for his appointment as Chairman.
A New Chapter After a Long IRS Career
Born on March 22, 1966, Raja Sekhar Reddy Lakkadi belongs to the 1990 batch of the Indian Revenue Service, Income Tax cadre. His appointment to the TGPCB comes after a long career in public service that began with tax administration and later included specialised work in cyber law and enforcement.
The new assignment takes him into a different but equally significant area of public administration. Instead of dealing primarily with taxation and financial compliance, he will now head an institution responsible for protecting environmental standards and regulating pollution-related activities across Telangana.
His three-year tenure will place him at the centre of the state’s pollution-control administration. The TGPCB’s work extends across multiple environmental concerns, from air and water quality to industrial pollution, waste management and regulatory compliance.
For Lakkadi, the appointment marks a significant transition from a decades-long IRS career into environmental governance. For Telangana, it brings a retired senior civil servant with extensive administrative, legal, technological and enforcement experience to the leadership of its pollution-control regul
