Professor P.K. Michael Tharakan took charge as the Chairperson at CSES. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise, having held various distinguished positions throughout his career. Professor Tharakan had previously served as the Chairperson of the Kerala Council for Historical Research, Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University and as the Director of the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA). Professor Tharakan’s career has been marked by his contributions to academia and research. He was a faculty member at the Centre for Development Studies and held the prestigious Ramakrishna Hegde Chair Professorship at ISEC (Institute for Social and Economic Change) in Bangalore.