| Rajiv Gauba is a senior IAS officer from the 1982 Jharkhand cadre. |
| He held key positions such as Chief Secretary of Jharkhand, India’s Home Secretary, and Cabinet Secretary. |
| Born into a Punjabi family in Bihar, he cleared the UPSC exam and trained at LBSNAA in Uttarakhand. |
| Initially in the Bihar cadre, he served as an SDM focusing on land revenue management and district administration. |
| As Jharkhand's Chief Secretary, Gauba led efforts against Naxalism through strategic policing and development projects. |
| In the Urban Development Ministry, he spearheaded initiatives on water supply, green spaces, and urban infrastructure projects. |
| During his tenure as Union Home Secretary, he improved strategies against left-wing extremism. |
| As Cabinet Secretary, Gauba played a pivotal role in India's response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Jammu and Kashmir reorganization. |
| He has been granted three extensions by the government since 2019. |
| In August 2023, a new regulation amendment allowed him to continue as Cabinet Secretary for a third extension. |