Who Is IAS Anil Kumar? Bihar’s New Director of Information and Public Relations Signals Digital-First, Grassroots-Focused Communication Push
Young Indian Administrative Service officer Anil Kumar (IAS: 2017, Bihar cadre) formally assumed charge on Monday as the Director of the Information and Public Relations Department (IPRD) of the Bihar government. He took over responsibilities at Soochna Bhavan, ushering in a significant leadership transition within the state’s official communication and public outreach framework.
The charge-taking ceremony was attended by senior officials of the department. Special Secretary Satyendra Kumar Singh welcomed the newly appointed Director by presenting him with a bouquet, marking the beginning of his tenure at the helm of Bihar’s information dissemination apparatus.
Immediate Review of Departmental Functioning
Soon after assuming office, Director Anil Kumar held interactions with officers and staff, conducted a review of ongoing initiatives, and inspected the functioning of all departmental branches. During these discussions, he clearly articulated his administrative vision, stating that ensuring last-mile delivery of government information would be the department’s foremost priority.
He emphasized that citizens living in remote rural areas and far-flung villages must receive timely and accurate information about government schemes so that no eligible beneficiary is left out due to lack of awareness.
Strengthening Outreach Through a Multi-Channel Communication Model
Outlining his communication strategy, Anil Kumar said the department would follow an integrated and multi-layered approach to public outreach. This would involve a balanced use of:
Digital platforms and social media
Traditional print and electronic media
Grassroots-level awareness and field-based campaigns
According to him, combining these channels is essential to effectively reach communities in underserved and less-visible regions of the state and to ensure that official messaging has both credibility and wide penetration.
Focused Communication on Core Welfare Sectors
The new IPRD Director further stated that targeted communication efforts would be undertaken to increase public awareness about key government initiatives in critical sectors such as:
Women’s empowerment
Education
Public health
Agriculture
Poverty alleviation and social security
He underlined that clear, accessible, and consistent messaging in these areas plays a vital role in inclusive governance and equitable development.
Senior Officers Attend Charge-Taking Ceremony
The occasion was attended by several senior officials, including Additional Secretary Rajiv Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary Vidhubhushan Chaudhary, Joint Director Ravi Bhushan Sahay, Special Officer Kumaril Satyanand, along with other officers and staff members of the department.
Profile: IAS Anil Kumar
Born on August 5, 1991, Anil Kumar is a 2017-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre. He holds a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree and has previously served as the Collector and District Magistrate of Araria, where he gained administrative experience in district-level governance and public service delivery.
With his appointment as Director of Information and Public Relations, expectations are high that the department will adopt a modern, citizen-centric, and digitally empowered communication approach to strengthen the connection between the government and the people of Bihar.
