Uttam Prakash is a Regional Provident Fund Commissioner in India and currently heads the Kochi and Lakshadweep regions. He earlier served in Kabul as Fair Competition Adviser with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, where he led the development of the country’s Competition Law and Policy during the Karzai administration.

His professional interests span social security, digital governance, and policy reforms, with a focus on strengthening citizen trust and improving administrative efficiency in public institutions.

Mr. Prakash is an alumnus of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (Singapore), the International Institute of Social Studies (The Hague), IIM Visakhapatnam, and the Delhi School of Economics. His articles and commentaries have appeared in leading national dailies, including The Indian Express, The Hindu Business Line, Deccan Herald, The Daily Excelsior, and Mathrubhumi, among others.