Tribute To Beela Venkatesan: The Officer Who Stood Firm For Tamil Nadu In Its Toughest Times

Senior IAS officer and Tamil Nadu Government’s Energy Secretary, Beela Venkatesan died on Wednesday, while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the Thousand Lights area of Chennai. She was 56.

A doctor by qualification, Beela served the government in various key roles, including as Health Secretary during the Covid-19 pandemic. She had been receiving treatment for health complications for the past two months.

Born in 1969 to former DGP Venkatesan and Rani Venkatesan, a Congress leader and former MLA, Beela was raised in Chennai. She completed her MBBS from Madras Medical College before joining the Indian Administrative Service in 1997.

Initially allotted to the Bihar cadre, she later worked in Jharkhand, the Centre, and finally secured a transfer to the Tamil Nadu cadre. Over the years, she held several important posts, including Deputy Collector of Chengalpattu, Director of Fisheries, and Director of Urban Planning.

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She became Health Secretary in February 2019, handling the department during the Covid crisis. In later years, she served in Commercial Taxes and most recently as Principal Secretary of the Energy Department.

In 1992, Beela married IPS officer Rajesh Das. The couple had two daughters. Following personal controversies and her husband’s conviction, she changed her name from Beela Rajesh to Beela Venkatesan and divorced him.

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Governor R.N. Ravi, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, and several other leaders and officials expressed condolences.

“Deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Dr. Beela Venkatesan IAS. A devoted public servant whose compassionate leadership and sharp administrative skills profoundly impacted countless lives—most notably through her leadership as Health Secretary during the unprecedented… pic.twitter.com/OKsoWXmeSk

— RAJ BHAVAN, TAMIL NADU (@rajbhavan_tn) September 24, 2025

Governor Ravi described her as “a dedicated officer whose leadership and administrative skills impacted countless lives.”
Chief Minister Stalin recalled her contributions during the pandemic, calling her death “a deeply regrettable loss.”

தமிழ்நாடு அரசின் எரிசக்தித் துறை முதன்மைச் செயலாளர்
டாக்டர். பீலா வெங்கடேசன் இ.ஆ.ப. அவர்கள் உடல்நலக்குறைவால் காலமானார் என்ற செய்தி கேட்டு மிகுந்த அதிர்ச்சியும் வருத்தமும் அடைந்தேன்.

அவரை இழந்து வாடும் அவர்தம் குடும்பத்தாருக்கும், அரசு ஊழியர்களுக்கும் எனது ஆழ்ந்த இரங்கலைத்… pic.twitter.com/g6oJqlhHkO

— Edappadi K Palaniswami-SayYEStoWomenSafety&AIADMK (@EPSTamilNadu) September 24, 2025

Political leaders and colleagues have remembered her as a committed officer who combined medical knowledge with administrative service.