Kundan Kumar, IAS Bihar: Profile, Bio, Wife and Family

Introduction & Early Life

Kundan Kumar is a distinguished Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer belonging to the 2004 batch of the Bihar cadre. (Bihar Bhawan) Over the years, he has held several high-profile administrative and developmental roles in Bihar, particularly in investment promotion, industrial development, infrastructure, district administration, and resident representation of the state in Delhi.

Birth, Education & Early Details

According to publicly accessible sources, Kundan Kumar was born on 28 July 1975. (The secretariat)
He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours in History) degree. (The secretariat)
He is proficient in both English and Hindi. (The secretariat)
In some profiles (e.g. Bihar Bhavan website), he is referred to as a 2004 batch IAS officer. (Bihar Bhawan)
On his social media / bio pages, he is described as Resident Commissioner, Government of Bihar, and also associated with roles in investment promotion, industrial area development, and overseeing state infrastructure duties. (X (formerly Twitter))

It should be noted that some alternate sources (e.g. an article on “thesecretariat.in”) incorrectly or differently list him as belonging to a 2012 batch IAS or holding a B.Tech in Electronics. (The secretariat) That appears inconsistent with other more authoritative sources. Thus, the 2004-batch identification is more consistent with Bihar Bhavan and multiple state-level listings.

Career Trajectory & Key Postings

Over his IAS career, Kundan Kumar has held a wide range of assignments across different levels of government in Bihar and at the interface between state and central administration. Below is a chronological (or thematic) breakdown of his principal roles and contributions:

Early Administrative Roles

In the initial years of his service, like many IAS officers, he would have undertaken district-level and departmental postings, though the detailed record of every early post is not readily available in public domain.

Resident Commissioner, Bihar Bhavan, New Delhi

One of his prominent roles in recent years is as Resident Commissioner, Bihar Bhavan, New Delhi. (Bihar Bhawan) In this capacity, he acts as the face of Bihar in Delhi, facilitating coordination between the state government and central departments, promoting Bihar’s interests, and serving as a nodal official for many liaison and investment-related matters. (Bihar Bhawan)

While fulfilling this function, he has also concurrently held/involved roles such as Investment Commissioner & Managing Director, BIADA (Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority), and CEO, Bihar Foundation. (Facebook)

Industrial & Infrastructure Roles

In April 2025, the Bihar government reportedly assigned him the additional charge as Managing Director of the Infrastructure Development Authority (IDA), expanding his portfolio beyond industrial area promotion into the domain of infrastructure planning and execution across the state. (Indian Masterminds)
Having oversight of BIADA and IDA along with his investment liaison duties places him in a strategic position to integrate industrial growth with infrastructure expansion. (Indian Masterminds)

District Administration & Innovation

One of the more lauded phases of his career came when he served as District Magistrate (DM), West Champaran (Bettiah region). During the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in 2020–2021, he initiated a “Startup Zone” for returning migrant workers to rehabilitate livelihoods, encourage entrepreneurship, and catalyze local economic revival. (The Better India)

In that project:

He and his team performed skill-mapping of migrant workers returning to the district, identifying their trades, prior experience, and capabilities. (The Better India)
They organized these returnees into Udyami Mitra Mandals (groups of 8–10 returnees) to help coordinate business ideas, resource mobilization, and logistics. (The Better India)
The administration allocated government-owned spaces, renovated warehouses, and provided financial assistance and logistical support (e.g. subsidized transport, grants via state/central schemes) for setting up small-scale enterprises. Over time, about 49 new entrepreneurial initiatives started in Chanpatia (under the “Navpravartan Startup Zone”) employing locals, many of them women. (The Better India)
In aggregate, these new enterprises achieved a turnover of several crores and created employment opportunities locally. (The Better India)

This initiative gained media attention as an example of creative administrative response under crisis, leveraging local human capital rather than simply distributing aid.

Recognition & Awards

While a full list of awards and honors is not easily found, on his LinkedIn and profile pages, it is mentioned that he has been a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration and National Award for Best Electoral management. (LinkedIn)
(However, details such as the year and project for which the award was conferred are not clearly documented in accessible public sources.)

Current Portfolio & Responsibilities

As of the latest public reports:

Resident Commissioner, Bihar Bhavan, New Delhi – representing the state’s interests in the national capital. (Bihar Bhawan)
Managing Director, BIADA (Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority) – overseeing development of industrial zones and promoting industrial investment in Bihar. (Facebook)
CEO, Bihar Foundation – a role tied to Bihar’s promotion, cultural, and investment interfaces. (Facebook)
Additional Charge: MD, Infrastructure Development Authority (IDA), Bihar – now also responsible for shaping infrastructure planning/execution across the state. (Indian Masterminds)

Given these substantial responsibilities, he sits at the intersection of administrative governance, economic development, and state-center liaison functions.

Public Initiatives, Highlights & Media Coverage

Migrant Worker Rehabilitation & Startup Zone (West Champaran)

This stands out as a signature initiative in his career. At a time when millions of migrant workers returned home due to pandemic-induced lockdowns, Kundan Kumar’s intervention in West Champaran was viewed as more than relief distribution — it was an attempt to convert crisis into opportunity. (The Better India)

His administration brought structure to what could have been chaos:

Mapped individual skills and trades rather than assuming uniform labor categories. (The Better India)
Facilitated access to capital via existing government schemes (PMEGP, state industrial innovation schemes) and bank linkages. (The Better India)
Provided operational support (electricity connection, logistics, subsidies on transporting machinery) and guided entrepreneurs through bureaucratic processes. (The Better India)
The first 15 enterprises came up within months, employing women and local youth, and several of these enterprises began fulfilling orders beyond the district, even supplying to other states and Nepal. (The Better India)

This work was widely covered in regional and national media, often cited as a model for lateral thinking in district administration under duress.

Appointment as Private Secretary to Defence Minister (Earlier Role)

In June 2019, Kundan Kumar was appointed as Private Secretary to the Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh (with a tenure up to February 3, 2020). This role is a prestigious central deputation often reserved for officers with a strong track record, exposing them to strategic, inter-ministry interface and national-level administration.

Recent Expanded Portfolio

His 2025 appointment as MD of IDA (in addition to his existing charges) reflects the Bihar government’s trust in him to drive synergy between industrial development and infrastructure execution. (Indian Masterminds)

Social Media & Public Presence

His official social media handle, @kundan_ias (on X / formerly Twitter), describes him as IAS, Resident Commissioner (Govt of Bihar), Investment Commissioner & MD BIADA, and CEO of Bihar Foundation. (X (formerly Twitter))
He posts updates related to Bihar’s initiatives (e.g. congratulating Bihar’s men’s hockey team on a win) and administrative news on those handles. (X (formerly Twitter))
He is occasionally cited in public-domain articles about Bihar’s industrial policy, Delhi liaison matters, and state representation in central forums.

Criticism, Controversies & Challenges

In public sources, there is no major, documented controversy or scandal directly implicating Kundan Kumar in malpractice or wrongdoing. A few observations / caveats are:

Confusion over batch or background
As noted earlier, some online profiles (e.g. “thesecretariat.in”) list him under the 2012 batch or indicate a B.Tech in Electronics background (rather than B.A. in History). (The secretariat) Such discrepancies may stem from confusion with other officers of similar names or data entry errors. This kind of conflicting public information can sometimes give rise to rumors or skepticism among the public or media.
Challenge of high expectations
Holding multiple high-impact portfolios invites scrutiny. For instance, with the added charge of MD, Infrastructure Development Authority, critics or opposition groups may question whether one individual can optimally manage both industrial promotion and infrastructure execution functions. (Indian Masterminds)
While this is not a “controversy” per se, it is a pressure point in governance, especially in a politically sensitive state like Bihar.
No public criminal or legal cases
In my searches, I did not find credible reporting of any criminal cases, departmental inquiries, or ethics investigations against him.

Given the absence of confirmed controversies, it appears that his public image is one of a proactive and development-oriented administrator, though—as is typical for senior bureaucrats—he inevitably faces high expectations and some level of political or media scrutiny.

Personal Profile — Beyond the Office

Though bureaucrats often maintain private personal lives, here is what is publicly known or deducible:

He is often referred to in profiles without mention of spouse, children, or personal interests, suggesting he keeps a low personal publicity profile.
His social media activity is largely professional, focusing on state development, initiatives, and Bihar’s public affairs.
Given his roles touching industrial development and infrastructure, he likely interacts extensively with private sector, investment bodies, and central ministries, indicating a professional network and exposure beyond the administrative domain.

Contact & Official Details

Here are some of the public-domain contact or office details known:

Bihar Bhavan, New Delhi – Resident Commissioner Office
Phone: 011-23014945 (Bihar Bhawan)
(This is a general contact for Bihar Bhavan, and through that medium one may reach his office.)
District Administration, Nalanda (when posted as DM Nalanda)
Email: dm-nalanda[dot]bih[at]nic[dot]in
Phone: 06112-235203 (Nalanda District)
(This is relevant only when/if he held or holds the DM role in Nalanda.)

If you are seeking direct personal contact (mobile or personal email), such details are typically not in public domain due to privacy norms and official security protocols. For legitimate communication, one may approach via the Bihar Bhavan / Resident Commissioner’s Office or through official Bihar government channels.

Top Interesting Facts

Dual Leadership Role (2025)
In 2025, he was entrusted with steering both BIADA (industrial development) and IDA (infrastructure development), suggesting a strategic attempt by Bihar government to integrate industrial growth and infrastructure planning. (Indian Masterminds)
“Startup Zone” Innovation
His idea of converting migrant returnees into entrepreneurs in West Champaran during the pandemic was innovative in a crisis environment, turning relief into sustainable livelihood interventions. (The Better India)
Liaison Between State & Center
As Resident Commissioner, he serves as the key link between the Bihar government and central ministries—a role crucial in attracting funding, projects, and investments to the state. (Bihar Bhawan)
Award Recognition
He has received national-level awards (e.g. Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration) and electoral awards (per his LinkedIn profile) for administrative and electoral contributions. (LinkedIn)
Media Presence & Transparency
His social media presence (e.g. X “@kundan_ias”) is used to highlight state initiatives, public communication, and transparency—a relatively modern approach for civil servants. (X (formerly Twitter))

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Which batch is Kundan Kumar from?
A: He is from the 2004 batch of the Bihar cadre.

Q2: What is his educational qualification?
A: He holds a B.A. in History (Honours).

Q3: What are his major roles currently?
A: He is Resident Commissioner of Bihar Bhavan, New Delhi; Managing Director of BIADA; CEO of Bihar Foundation; and holds additional charge as MD, Infrastructure Development Authority (IDA), Bihar (as of 2025).

Q4: What was the “Startup Zone” initiative?
A: As DM of West Champaran during the pandemic, he initiated a program to convert returning migrant workers into entrepreneurs, mapping their skills and helping them set up local micro-enterprises with government support, subsidies, and logistical help. (The Better India)

Q5: Has he faced any controversies or legal issues?
A: There is no credible public record of major controversies, legal cases, or departmental inquiries against him as of now.

Q6: How to contact him?
A: The publicly available contact is via Bihar Bhavan, New Delhi (011-23014945). For district-level matters (in Nalanda when he was DM), the email was dm-nalanda[dot]bih[at]nic[dot]in and phone 06112-235203. (Nalanda District)

Q7: Which major awards has he received?
A: He is listed as a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration, and a National Award for Best Electoral work (per his profile). (LinkedIn)

Q8: How can one follow his updates or public communication?
A: His social media handle on X (formerly Twitter) is @kundan_ias. (X (formerly Twitter))

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