Senior Television Journalist Pankaj Pachauri appointed as Communication Advisor in the PMO

Senior television journalist Pankaj Pachauri as was appointed as Communication Advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office on 19 January 2012. Pankaj Pachauri who has been given the rank of additional secretary will report to Pulok Chatterjee, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. Following his appointment, Harish Khare resigned as media advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Before being named as the Communication Advisor, Pachauri was Managing Editor of NDTV India. For the first time a journalist from the electronic media has been put in charge of the government's communications strategy, thereby indicating the increasing importance of 24x7 media.

He is to advise the PMO on communications strategies on print, electronic and social media. He will advise on communicating the government’s programmes, policies and achievements to the media and the public at large, particularly using the electronic, print and new and social media.

48-year-old Pachauri had earlier had stints with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in London and with India Today. Pachauri has straddled both the print and electronic media with ease.