VK Pandian is a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who has been appointed as the Chairman of 5T (Transformational Initiatives) and Nabin Odisha (New Odisha) with the rank of a cabinet minister in the Odisha government. He will work directly under Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who has been his mentor and boss for more than a decade.
VK Pandian was born in Tamil Nadu and joined the IAS in 2000. He started his career as a sub-collector in Dharmagarh, Kalahandi district, where he gained popularity for his pro-people initiatives⁵. He later served as the collector of Mayurbhanj and Ganjam districts, where he implemented several development projects and welfare schemes
In 2011, he joined the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) as the private secretary to Naveen Patnaik. Since then, he has been the most trusted and influential aide of the chief minister, handling various portfolios such as home, health, agriculture, water resources, energy, and rural development⁴. He has also been instrumental in shaping the political strategy and image of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party