R Gopalan takes charge as Fin Services Secy

R Gopalan, a 1976-batch IAS officer, has been appointed as the Financial Services Secretary in the Finance Ministry.

"R Gopalan assumed the office of Secretary, Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, here yesterday," an official release said today.

He would look after the banking and insurance division in the ministry. Earlier, Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla was holding the additional charge of this department.

Prior to this, Gopalan was serving as special secretary in the Commerce Ministry. He also served as additional secretary and joint secretary in the Commerce Ministry.

"He has participated actively in WTO ministerials at Doha, Cancun and Hong Kong, and assisted the commerce minister at the G-6, G-20 and G-110 meetings," the release said.

He has also participated in inter-governmental negotiations in the areas of agriculture, services and environmental goods, and led the Indian delegation at the WTO.

Gopalan has served as director of general anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation, director on the boards of MMTC and STC, and CMD of Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation. He has held various positions in the Tamil Nadu government.