
Amitabh Kant resigns as G20 Sherpa, ends 45-year stint in bureaucracy
File photo: Amitabh Kant (Picture credit: PTI)
NEW DELHI: India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant Monday stepped down from his role, ending a 45-year stint in the country's bureaucracy where he handled crucial assignments and helped design several vital policies.
Kant, a retired 1980-batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre, was appointed G20 Sherpa in 2022 and tasked with steering the meeting of developed and emerging countries. A sherpa works as the PM's envoy for the forum and does heavy lifting on behalf of the country's leader.
"After 45 years of dedicated service, I have decided to embrace new opportunities & begin a new chapter," Kant said in a social media post, thanking PM Modi for the trust he placed in him to drive developmental initiatives that shaped the country's growth trajectory.
"Leading India's G20 Presidency in 2023 was a significant milestone in my career. Despite complex global challenges, we achieved a unanimous consensus on the New Delhi Leaders Declaration, and refocused attention on key developmental issues," Kant, who is known for his problem-solving abilities, said.
Kant, an alumnus of St Stephen's College and JNU, has served as CEO of policy think tank
Niti Aayog
, where he worked on crucial initiatives such as the aspirational districts programmes aimed at improving conditions in some of the country's most backwards districts.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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He began his career in Kerala and helped design the "God's Own Country" campaign, which helped promote tourism significantly.
"Later in the ministry of tourism, we initiated the 'Incredible India' campaign - born from the belief that travel and tourism has the best multiplier impact on jobs and growth," said Kant.
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