Ms. A. Dhanalakshmi is the Joint Secretary for the Ministry of Science and Technology since March 2019. She has previously worked in various capacities in the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. She has a rich experience in the field of public administration, policymaking, and human resource management and has been instrumental in introducing several reforms in the area of education and public sector management. She is also a Certified System Security Professional (CSS).