Kochi: IT entrepreneur Ranjith Balan, who was instrumental in shaping the Congress’ digital cell in Kerala, has been appointed as the state president of the All India Professionals Congress (AIPC). He succeeds Dr S S Lal, a public health expert who has held the position for the past four years.

Ranjith Balan, the founder and convener of the IT/digital media cell of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), held the position for 13 years. During his tenure, the district and assembly-level IT cell committees were formed.

Ranjith, the founder of Doubtbox Edutainment, an edu-tech company based in Technopark, is also a member of the executive committee of G-Tec, an association of IT companies in Kerala.

He has also served as a member of the Cyberdome Board, a member of the IT working group of the Planning Board, a member of the Governing Council of the Kerala State Open School, and a member of the IT Expert Committee of the Travancore and Guruvayur Devaswom Boards. A native of Thrissur, Ranjith is the son of the late P A Balan Master, a Congress leader and chairman of the Milma.

Thanking the Congress leadership and AIPC national chairman Praveen Chakravarty, Ranjith said his immediate priority will be establishing a strong team of district heads and deputy district heads across all districts. "As per the new structure of the Professionals Congress, the national team has identified ten verticals, including IT, healthcare, chartered accountancy, academia and research. We will appoint a state head and deputy state head for each of these verticals as well.

"Once the team is in place within a month, our focus will be on transforming the organisation into a dynamic political platform that addresses the needs and aspirations of working professionals and entrepreneurs in Kerala," he told Onmanorama.

AIPC was formed at the national level in 2018 under Shashi Tharoor's leadership to bring professionals closer to the Congress. Mathew Kuzhalanadan, now Muvattupuzha MLA, was its first state president in Kerala. Praveen Chakravarty, the chairman of the AICC data analytics wing, is AIPC’s national president.

Along with Ranjith’s appointment, the Congress president has also appointed Zakkir Hussain T M as the head of the KPCC’s minority department. G Leelakrishnan is the head of the Fishermen Congress, and Majoosh Mathews is of the Kisan Congress under the KPCC.