Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has filled three vacant commissioner posts in the State Information Commission, appointing retired IAS officer Dr. Richard Vincent D’Souza, Dr. Mahesh Walvekar, and Venkat Singh to the key positions.
According to a government notification, Dr. D’Souza and Dr. Walvekar will serve as commissioners at the Bengaluru bench, while Venkat Singh has been assigned to the Kalaburagi bench.
Dr. Richard Vincent D’Souza, a former IAS officer with a strong background in administration and technology, has held several senior positions across departments. His previous roles include CEO of Raichur Zilla Panchayat, BBMP Joint Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu, Managing Director of Hutti Gold Mines Company, Director of the National Health Mission, Secretary of the Karnataka Public Service Commission, and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Warehousing Corporation.
A mechanical engineer by qualification, Dr. D’Souza also holds an MBA in Human Resource Management and a PhD in Driver Behaviour from Bangalore University.
During his tenure at the BBMP, he played a pivotal role in addressing garbage management and land-related issues, and as Kodagu DC, he was credited for implementing housing projects benefiting over 500 tribal families.
Before joining the civil services, Dr. D’Souza worked as an aero engineer at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), where he contributed to India’s prestigious Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas) project — earning commendation from the Central Government.
Dr. Mahesh Walvekar, who was serving as Officer on Special Duty to Legislative Council Speaker Basavaraj Horatti, and Venkat Singh, who will head the Kalaburagi bench, also bring extensive administrative experience to the commission.