Amitabh Kant, whose tenure as CEO of government think tank Niti Aayog was recently extended by a year till June 2022, is one of the most influential policymakers in the country.
In a career spanning nearly four decades, the 1980-batch IAS officer is credited as a key driver of initiatives such as ‘Incredible India’, ‘God’s Own Country’ and ‘Start up India.’
However, it was his work for the Narendra Modi-government’s flagship ‘Make in India’ initiative that is said to have greatly impressed the Prime Minister. A couple of years ago, he was also tipped to become the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.
This is the third time that Mr. Kant’s tenure as the CEO of Niti Aayog, whose Chairman is the Prime Minister, has been extended. He was first appointed to the position in 2016 for a two-year term, which was extended for a year in 2018, and then again for two years till June 2021.
Considered a friend of India Inc., Mr. Kant, a good conversationalist, is a regular at industry events, giving keynotes and holding fireside chats with key executives, keeping him in the news. He actively engages in closed-door meetings with industry representatives, who say he is result-oriented and assertive, to seek their inputs.
Mr. Kant has also been a target of influential bodies like Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for being sympathetic to private companies, particularly foreign firms.
Last December, he was in the eye of a storm for his remark that India was “too much of a democracy”, which hindered undertaking tough reforms. Following severe criticism over the remarks, Mr. Kant later said his remarks were taken out of context.
Prior to his appointment at the Niti Aayog, Mr. Kant was Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, where he drove the Ease of Doing Business initiative. He has also worked as CMD, ITDC; Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism; Secretary – Tourism, Government of Kerala; Managing Director, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation; District Collector, Kozhikode and Managing Director, Matsyafed.
Following demonetisation, he was also credited with popularising digital payments in the country.
