The Union Cabinet on Friday appointed journalist Ashok Malik the press secretary to President-elect Ram Nath Kovind. Chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection Board Sanjay Kothari was named secretary to Kovind, and senior Gujarat-cadre Indian Forest Service officer Bharat Lal will be his joint secretary.

The three were chosen by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They will hold the posts for two years.

Malik is a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, a policy think tank. Kothari is a Hyderabad cadre Indian Administrative Services officer. He retired as the secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training in 2016. Lal is the resident commissioner of the Gujarat government in New Delhi at present.