Nirupama Kotru

Nirupama Kotru is an officer of the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) of the 1992 batch.

Ms. Kotru has done her BA in Economics (Hons.) from St.Stephen's College, Delhi University, and MA in Politics & International Relations from School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. She has also done an MA in Public Policy & Sustainable Development from TERI University, Delhi.

Ms.Kotru has served in the Income Tax Department at Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Pune in various assignments and was involved in setting up of International Taxation Directorate of the Income Tax Deptt. As Director(E Governance) in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, she administered the gold award-winning MCA21 corporate filing system. She was also instrumental in setting up the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs at Manesar.

As Director(Films) in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, ,she looked after the administration of media units such as NFDC, Films Division , National Film Archive and the Directorate of Film Festivals, training institutes such as FTII and all policy matters relating to films, including censorship. She spearheaded India's best-ever participation in prestigious film festivals such as Cannes & Berlin from 2012 to 2014, and also organized the renowned International Film Festival of Goa for 3 years.

Until recently she was posted as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Govt of India, where she nurtured and strengthened prestigious national akademies such as Sahitya Akademi, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Sangeet Natak Akademi and Lalit Kala Akademi, as well as world class institutes National School of Drama ND Kalakshetra Foudantion. She drove renovation of, & reimagining of exhibitions at renowned museums such as National Museum, Delhi ,Victoria Memorial Museum and Indian Museum, Kolkata, and national Science Museums/regional centres all over India, Gandhi museums and centres, among others. She also laid down the framework for commemoration of; India's Amrit Mahotsav (celebration of 75 years of independedence).She has the distinction of driving India's participation in the world's oldest and most prestigious art festival, the Venice biennale after a gap of 8 years. India Pavilion at Venice 2019 ended up being rated among top 4 national pavilions at Venice. She also drove multiple Intangible Cultural Heritage nominations of India at UNESCO including the Creative Cities (film)network tag for Mumbai .

During the Covid pandemic, under her guidance the Gandhi Smriti & Darshan Samiti did stellar work in providing masks, PPE suits and other materials to the needy, as well as set up a dedicated line and portal for assistance of patients and their families, called www.covidseva.gandhismriti.gov.in