Atal Dulloo (IAS) Biography, Wiki, Age, Wife, Family, Education, Batch, Salary & More
Atal Dulloo (born 2 October 1966, Age: 57 years old) is a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who belongs to the Jammu and Kashmir cadre. He is currently serving as the Additional Chief Secretary of the Health and Medical Education Department in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
He is known for his efficient and effective management of the health sector, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. He has also been involved in various developmental and welfare initiatives in the region.
Early Life and Education
Atal was born on October 24, 1966, in Jammu and Kashmir. He belongs to the Kashmiri Pandit community. He completed his schooling in Jammu and Kashmir and then pursued his Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.
He was a brilliant student and secured a rank of 8 in the All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) in 1984. He also received a gold medal for his academic excellence from IIT Delhi.
Atal Dulloo Wiki/Bio
| Name | Atal Dulloo |
| Date of Birth | October 24, 1966 |
| Place of Birth | Jammu and Kashmir |
| Age | 57 years |
| Cadre | Jammu and Kashmir |
| Batch | 1989 |
| Education | B.Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT Delhi |
| Current Position | Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Medical Education Department, Jammu and Kashmir |
| Previous Positions | Secretary of Border Management Ministry of Home Affairs; Joint Secretary of Agriculture and Cooperation Ministry of Agriculture; Director of Census Operations Jammu and Kashmir; Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag Director of Industries and Commerce Secretary of Tourism and Culture; Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Principal Secretary of Finance Financial Commissioner of Health and Medical Education |
| Awards and Recognitions | Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration (2008) Chief Minister’s Gold Medal for Honesty Integrity, and Meritorious Public Service (2016) 50 Most Influential Indians by The Indian Express (2020) |
| Family | Wife: Dr. Shashi Dulloo (gynecologist and obstetrician) Sons: Aditya and Abhinav |
| Hobbies and Interests | Fitness, badminton golf, reading writing traveling |
| Social Media | Twitter: @DullooAtal Instagram: #ataldulloo |
| Homepage | newsunzip.com |
Career and Achievements
Dulloo joined the IAS in 1989 after clearing the civil services examination on his first attempt. He was allotted the Jammu and Kashmir cadre and started his career as an Assistant Commissioner in Srinagar. He then held various positions in the state administration, such as Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag, Director of Industries and Commerce, Secretary of Tourism and Culture, Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Principal Secretary of Finance, and Financial Commissioner of Health and Medical Education.
He also served in the central government on deputation for some time. He worked as the Secretary of Border Management in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Joint Secretary of Agriculture and Cooperation in the Ministry of Agriculture, and Director of Census Operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
He has been instrumental in implementing several reforms and initiatives in the health sector of Jammu and Kashmir. He has been credited for improving the infrastructure, human resources, and quality of health services in the region. He has also been praised for his proactive and innovative measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 and ensure adequate testing, tracing, treatment, and vaccination of the population. He has also been involved in promoting medical education, research, and innovation in the region.
He has received several awards and recognitions for his outstanding work and contribution to public service. He was conferred the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in 2008 for his role in the successful implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in Jammu and Kashmir. He was also awarded the Chief Minister’s Gold Medal for Honesty, Integrity, and Meritorious Public Service in 2016. He was also nominated as one of the 50 Most Influential Indians by The Indian Express in 2020.
Spouse & Children
Atal Dulloo is married to Dr. Shashi Dulloo, who is a gynecologist and obstetrician. They have two sons, Aditya and Abhinav, who are pursuing their higher studies in the United States. He is a fitness enthusiast and likes to play badminton and golf.
He is also fond of reading, writing, and traveling. He has authored a book titled “The Making of Ladakh”, which is a historical and cultural account of the region. He is active on social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram, where he shares his views and experiences with his followers.
Who is Atal Dulloo and why is he set to be the next chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir?
Atal, a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1989 batch, is likely to be appointed as the next chief secretary of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) upon the retirement of the incumbent Arun Kumar Mehta on November 30, 2023.
Dulloo, who belongs to the local Kashmiri Pandit community, has been commended for his work as the financial commissioner of the health and medical education department in J&K during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. He is also credited for dealing with the pandemic with multi-sectoral initiatives from treating the influx of coronavirus patients, to building Covid infrastructure and implementing preventive measures.
Atal Dulloo has held various key positions in the J&K administration, such as principal secretary of finance, planning and development, agriculture production, and power development departments. He has also served as the deputy commissioner of the Anantnag, Kupwara, and Jammu districts.
In June 2021, Dulloo was appointed as the secretary of border management in the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Centre. However, in November 2021, he was prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre of J&K, which is seen as an indication that he could be the next chief secretary of the union territory.
What are the challenges and opportunities for Dulloo as the chief secretary of J&K?
As the chief secretary of J&K, Dulloo will have to deal with various challenges and opportunities in the region, which has been witnessing political turmoil, security threats, developmental issues and social unrest since the abrogation of Article 370 by the Centre in August 2019.
Some of the major challenges that Dulloo will face are:
- Restoring the statehood and holding the assembly elections in J&K, have been demanded by the mainstream political parties and civil society groups.
- Implementing the delimitation exercise, which will redraw the boundaries of the assembly and parliamentary constituencies in J&K based on the 2011 census.
- Ensuring the security and law and order situation in J&K, which has been affected by cross-border terrorism, militancy, stone-pelting, and protests.
- Reviving the economy and tourism sector of J&K, which have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdowns, the internet shutdowns, and the travel advisories.
- Addressing the grievances and aspirations of the people of J&K, especially the youth, the women, the minorities, and the marginalized sections.
Some of the major opportunities that Dulloo will have are:
- Leveraging his experience and expertise in the health and medical education sector to strengthen the public health system and the human resources in J&K, which are crucial for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic and other diseases.
- Utilizing his knowledge and skills in the finance and planning sector to boost the investment and development projects in J&K, which are essential for creating employment and infrastructure in the region.
- Building trust and confidence among the people and the stakeholders of J&K, by ensuring transparency, accountability, and responsiveness in the administration and the governance.
- Promoting the culture and heritage of J&K, by showcasing the diversity, richness, and uniqueness of the region to the national and international audiences.
How is Dulloo different from the previous chief secretaries of J&K?
Dulloo is different from the previous chief secretaries of J&K in several ways, such as:
- Atal Dulloo is the first chief secretary of J&K after it became a union territory in October 2019, following the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two union territories of J&K and Ladakh.
- He is the first chief secretary of J&K who belongs to the local Kashmiri Pandit community, which is a minority group that was forced to migrate from the Kashmir valley due to the militancy and violence in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
- He is the first chief secretary of J&K who has been repatriated from the Centre to his parent cadre of J&K, which is a rare occurrence in the bureaucratic transfers and postings.
