Alkesh Kumar Sharma


Alkesh Kumar Sharma is a Kerala Cadre Indian Administrative Service officer of the 1990 batch. Currently, he serves as the Managing Director of ., Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Kerala, and Additional Chief Secretary of Industries in Government of Kerala, and CEO of ,

Early life and education

Alkesh Kumar Sharma started his early education in Behror, Alwar in Rajasthan. He received his bachelor's degree from S.K.N College of Agriculture Sciences in Jobner, Rajasthan and his Masters in Rural Management from the Institute of Rural Management Anand. Later, he attended mid-career training programs in Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Duke Centre of International Development, and Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

Career

Alkesh Kumar Sharma started his career in the Indian Administrative Services in 1990. Before his current tenure in Kochi, he was CEO and MD of .

Present posting

Sharma currently holds four positions as the Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd., CEO of Cochin Smart City Mission, Additional Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary of Industries in Government of Kerala. As MD of KMRL, Sharma is responsible for operations and management of metro rail services in Kochi as well as its expansion and integration with other modes of transport within Kochi. As CEO of Cochin Smart City Mission, Sharma implements smart city projects including an for all city services. As Additional Chief Secretary Industries, he develops industrial manufacturing clusters and townships in Kerala as part of the .

Industrial Corridors Development in India

Sharma served as CEO and MD of Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation from September 2015–19. Some of his responsibilities included overall charge of operations and management, project development, coordination with State Governments, project financing and development planning, integration of cities in Industrial Corridor Regions and finalisation of master plans. During his tenure, he completed Trunk Infrastructure Works in four integrated industrial smart cities, signed SHAs and SSAs with State Governments for all completed DMIC cities, finalised International Airport Dholera and two Freight Village Projects and more.

Logistics Data Bank

Sharma also developed and planned the design and implementation of the Logistics Data Bank with the objective of effectively leveraging ICT across the Indian Logistics Sector, inculcate best practices across the various processes and work towards bringing in efficiency in the supply chain. As the Founder Chairman of , he formulated the expansion of the services to cover all major ports and container terminals in India. His efforts generated greater visibility and transparency in Logistics, streamlined the operations across the supply chain and helped the government's plan of improving Ease of Doing Business in India.

Fast Tag - Electronic Toll Collection System on National Highways

As Joint Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways from 2012–15, Sharma was instrumental in formulating and implementing a policy regarding the National Highways Fee Collection and Electronic Toll Collection System in India. He set up the Indian Highways Management Company Ltd. and developed the first inter-operable ETC in the country in the Mumbai- Vadodara stretch which was to be implemented across the country by 2014. Within his role, Sharma was also responsible for coordinating with Railways, Defence, other agencies and State Governments in matters relating to Highways development.

Industrial Investment Planning and Development in Kerala

From 2009–12, Sharma was Secretary, Industries and Managing Director at Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation. Here, he was responsible for the development and promotion of in the State with matters relating to the implementation and monitoring of PMEGP and other centrally and state sponsored schemes and programmes. Sharma was instrumental in finalising the Kerala State Industrial Policy, preparing annual plans and budgets of Kerala's Industrial Sector and initiating numerous mega Industrial projects including the , Kochi-Palakkad National Investment and Manufacturing Zone, Gas Based infrastructure Development Project and more. Additionally, Sharma played a key role in the successful launch of the EMERGING KERALA, Investors Meet in September, 2012 to promote Kerala as an Investment and Investor Friendly Destination. For his role in KSIDC achieving record performance, Sharma received special commendation and Best CEO Award from the Government of Kerala.

Urban planning and development

Before joining KSIDC, Sharma served as National Project Coordinator for the United Nations Development Program. During his tenure, he published and launched the as well as , the first city Human Development Report in India. Sharma also prepared and implemented an Integrated Poverty Monitoring System with four sub components ie: progress tracking, poverty monitoring, reforms monitoring and capacity building to increase the efficiency of the implementation of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission activities. Additionally, he was responsible for defining a Micro-entrepreneurial Development Strategy and Training Module for Urban Poverty Alleviation.
From June 2004-December 2006, Sharma served as Private Secretary to Ministry for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation within the Government of India. His responsibilities here included overall administration, superintendence and control over the office of the Minister, briefing the Minister on important policy & related matters of the Ministry and more. Within his tenure, the Ministry launched JNNURM, the flagship programme of the Government of India on Urban Renewal and Slum Development.

Tourism in Kerala

Sharma worked in Tourism for seven years within various capacities. From 2001–04, During his tenure as Director of Tourism and Managing Director of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, Sharma became a trailblazer for Kerala Tourism and positioned it as one of the most sought after tourism destinations in Asia. Some of his major achievements include developing 'Kerala Tourism Vision- 2025' for conservation, preservation and eco-friendly development of tourism, increasing tourist arrivals by 2x within a 3-year period, developing the brand "Kerala: God's Own Country" and making it one of the best tourism brands globally, and starting the one-of-a-kind National Boat Show to promote water sports and water-based tourism in Kerala. During his tenure, Kerala Tourism received the Best Performing State Awards consecutively for three years, 3 PATA Awards, the title of "Super Brand" and several other National Awards from the Government of India.

NGO and Cooperative Sector

Before joining Civil Services in 1990, Sharma worked as a Marketing Executive in the National Dairy Development Board Kolkata and as an Action Consultant for an NGO, Professional Assistance for Development Action New Delhi. He also served as the Founding President of Accident Care and Transport Service Thrissur.
Within his role at NDDB, Sharma was responsible for milk marketing within the state of Orissa and the introduction of new milk and dairy products.
As an Action Consultant for PRADAN, Sharma formulated water conservation and preservation techniques and common property resource management, as well as formed SHGs for women in rural and backward areas of Rajasthan and introduced high profit making and land saving agriculture among the small landholders.
Plight of a road accident victim gave birth to ACTS, an NGO which has grown over these years and has impacted thousands of victims and their families. The Supreme Court appointed Justice K Skandan Committee for making comprehensive guidelines for Good Samaritans appreciated the role of ACTS for its valuable contribution to the society. In its report submitted to the Supreme Court, the Committee recommended the Thrissur model of Good Samaritans. Those recommendations were accepted by the Apex Court and have been adopted in framing guidelines to be followed all over India.

Awards and accolades