Thiruvananthapuram: Suspended Kerala bureaucrat M Sivasankar was at the peak of his career when he fell from grace over the gold smuggling scandal.

He has several achievements to his name, from an SSLC rank to degrees in Engineering and Business Administration. He had the reputation of being an able administrator.

Things began to fall apart after he reached the Kerala Chief Minister's Office where he enjoyed considerable clout.

A Thiruvananthapuram native, Sivasankar had secured the second rank in SSLC. He completed BTech from the NSS Engineering College in Palakkad. He was also the college union chairman. Then he secured PG Diploma in Rural Management from the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) in Gujarat. He had won the praises of both teachers and his classmates.

After completing his studies, he worked as an officer with the Reserve Bank of India for several years.

Sivasankar was later appointed in the revenue department as deputy collector. While continuing in this post, he was conferred with the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1995.

He was confirmed in IAS in March 2000. He was known as an able administrator during his tenure as the Malappuram Collector.

He also excelled in his roles as the tourism director, general education director and Secretary, and PWD Secretary.

While he was the education director and secretary, he put an end to several unhealthy practices in the general education sector.

When he was electricity board chairman, Sivasankar was also able to check power cuts in the state by entering into long-term power purchase agreements. Sivasankar, as the Sports Secretary, was credited with the successful conduct of National Games in the state.

His reputation as an able administrator prompted Pinarayi Vijayan to pick Sivasankar as his Secretary. However, that was just the start of his decline. Things took a turn for worse when he was given the additional post of the IT Secretary.

Finally, Sivasankar was suspended over his alleged association with the gold smuggling case accused. He is set to retire on January 31, 2023.

The former Principal Secretary to the Kerala CM, was suspended on Wednesday over his alleged association with the accused in the gold smuggling case being probed by several Indian agencies including the NIA and Customs.