Senior journalist and a fellow of Observer's Research Foundation Ashok Malik has been appointed as the press secretary to the President by the Union cabinet.

Chairman Public Enterprises Selection Board Sanjay Kothari has been appointed secretary to the new President and Bharat Lal, an Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officer, was appointed as the Joint Secretary to the President.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointments on Friday for a period of two years.

A journalist for 20 years, Malik is a columnist for several leading Indian and international publications including Times of India, Hindustan Times and Yale Global Online.

Previously, he served as a consulting editor to the Pioneer and Tehelka.

Malik joined the ORF in 2015 and presently heads its 'Neighbourhood Regional Studies Initiative', which focuses on Indian domestic politics and foreign/trade policy.

In 2011, Malik co-authored a paper, India's New World: Civil Society in the Making of Foreign Policy, published by the Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney.

It showcased the influence of Indian business, news media and overseas communities on the Ministry of External Affairs.

In 2012, he published a book India: Spirit of Enterprise which focuses on the growth of India's leading private sector industries since 1991, and its role in the Indian economy.

In the same year, he was a member on the bilateral Task Force on Perceptions commissioned by the Australia India Institute, University of Melbourne, to assess and make recommendations on the relationship between Australia and India.

In June 2013, he was named to the Australia India Institute-ORF Chair for Indo-Pacific Studies.

His work in this capacity focused on the bilateral relationship between the two countries as well as emergent challenges related to maritime and energy security, and new institutional architecture, in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Indian government awarded him Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, in 2016. -- PTI, ANI