Mr. Ajay Mishra holds an MA in Politics (1982) and an M.Phil. in International Politics (1984), both from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1984 in the Andhra Pradesh cadre.

Career highlights

• Served on deputation to the United Nations in Kosovo as a Civil Affairs Officer — largely as a Municipal Administrator — from November 1999 to December 2005.
• From 2006 to 2014, managed the Transport, Rural Water Supply, Information Technology, Home, Infrastructure & Investment and Higher Education departments in Andhra Pradesh as Commissioner, Secretary and Principal Secretary to the Government.
• From 2014 to 2016, served the Government of Telangana as Principal Secretary, heading the General Administration Department and the Revenue Department.
• From December 2016 to July 2020, served as Special Chief Secretary, Energy Department, Government of Telangana.

During his tenure in the Energy Department, Telangana emerged as the country's leading state for initiatives in the solar energy sector. Decentralised solar generation of approximately 3,500 MW and more than 100 MW of rooftop solar projects were the highlights of that period.