Former Chief Secretary of Kerala K. Jayakumar (Retd IAS: 1978: KL) has been appointed as the new President of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), one of the state’s most influential temple administration bodies.
The decision was finalized on November 7, 2025, following discussions between Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is currently abroad. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) authorized Minister Vasavan to make the final selection after consultations with the Chief Minister, and the appointment was officially confirmed on Friday.
According to sources, five names were shortlisted during the final round of deliberations held at the CPM State Secretariat, with Jayakumar emerging as the top choice. While Minister Vasavan reportedly recommended Satheeshan from Pathanamthitta, the party ultimately backed the Chief Minister’s preference for Jayakumar.
A distinguished bureaucrat, author, and academic, K. Jayakumar previously served as Chief Secretary of Kerala and has held several key administrative and cultural positions, including Director of the Institute of Management in Government (IMG) and Vice-Chancellor of Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University.
His appointment as President of the Travancore Devaswom Board is expected to bring administrative experience and reform-oriented leadership to the institution, which manages over 1,200 temples, including the Sabarimala shrine.
