Raipur: Keshav Desiraju, an IAS officer and also the former union health secretary, died at a private hospital in Chennai on Sunday morning. He died of acute coronary syndrome at the age of 66.
In the Department of Consumer Affairs, Desiraju retired as an Union secretary. In a variety of roles, he had previously worked. From the Union government to the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, he had worked. On legendary Carnatic singer M.S. Subbulakshmi, he also authored a book titled, Of Gifted Voice: The Life and Art of M.S. Subbulakshmi.
On the topic of corruption in the healthcare sector, he co-edited a book with Samiran Nundy and Sanjay Nagral in 2018. During the drafting of the Mental Healthcare Bill in 2016, he played an important role, while he was working with the government.
Desiraju had continued to work on public health matters in India after retiring as an IAS officer. He was on the ruling board of the Population Foundation of India. He had also been praised for various awareness initiatives undertaken by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Science.
Desiraju was the grandson of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the first president of independent India. On his grandfather’s birth anniversary, he passed away.
T. S. Singhdeo, the former leader of the opposition of India, expressed his grief and shared memories of Desiraju on social media. T.S. Singhdeo said on Twitter, “Deeply saddened by the unfortunate passing of Former Union Health Secretary Shri Keshav Desiraju. He was an exceptional officer and a prolific writer. May his family and friends find peace in this moment of grief.”