VERY FEW PEOPLE can boast of a career spanning more than four decades that has seen them soar from one zenith to another, taking on bigger challenges in each successive assignment. But that's natural progression for Amitabh Kant. India's G20 Sherpa was also responsible for the Incredible India tourism campaign in the early part of this millennium and played a driving role in the country's pursuit of becoming a global manufacturing hub with the Make in India initiative.
A retired 1980-batch Indian Administrative Service officer from the Kerala cadre, 67-year-old Kant is known for being an administrator par excellence, who has managed to thrive in diverse assignments. Known as a decisive thinker and clear speaker with a 'can do' attitude, he has worked across various ministries in his state cadre as well as at the Centre. His list of assignments includes Secretary, Kerala Tourism; CMD, India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC); and Joint Secretary, Tourism in the Government of India. He has also worked as Chairman of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Development Corporation (2009-14); Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (2014-16); and the Chief Executive Officer of the NITI Aayog (2016-22).
Throughout his career, he has helped mould and take forward flagship national initiatives such as Startup India, Make in India, Incredible India, Kerala: God's Own Country and the Aspirational Districts programme.
But perhaps his most successful stint has been as India's G20 Sherpa. Kant was appointed to the role in July 2022, months ahead of India assuming the presidency of this multilateral forum from December 1, 2022, to November 30, 2023. He took over from Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, when the need was felt for a full-time G20 Sherpa.
BRINGING G20 TO THE PEOPLE
This story is from the March 17, 2024 edition of Business Today India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 17, 2024 edition of Business Today India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The EV Craze
The country’s growing luxury car market is seeing a shift with environmentally-conscious consumers betting on electric vehicles as a sustainable travel option. Though just 6%, the share of EVs in the luxury segment is rising rapidly
The Storage Boom
Data centres are being built at a frenetic pace in india as companies scramble to meet the ballooning demand from mobile phone users and firms adopting al. Can the country’s energy infrastructure keep up?
India Beckons
Owing to rising incomes in India and overall wealth expansion, luxury brands are wooing the country like never before
The Pearls of The Sea
Caviar, that rare food, is considered the epitome of fine dining. Here is everything that you need to know about it
66.Brand persona should define the core"
I’d say this was a strategic pivot. We had an iconic brand, but had, over time, evolved into diversified lines of businesses that could no longer be represented within the confines of our ‘name’.
Unwind in Style
Here is acomprehensive list of top tech picks that help you unwind by blending perfection in performance with luxury
A Lifelong Affair with Inspiration
In my art journey, the diversity of my acquisitions mirrored the expanding horizons of my understanding of art
Make it Bubbly
Champagne is much more than just a symbol of celebration and success. Know about its nuances beyond the bubbles
Palatial Splendour
Buoyed by renewed demand, sales of the glitzy mansions of the ultra-rich are surging like never before. Real estate majors are looking to capitalise on this by launching luxury offerings in record numbers
Of Beaches and Cream
GianChand Single Malt Whisky
