Summary


  • Self-starter leader, with over 35 years of extensive experience in corporate management, global negotiations, program implementation, policy formulation, monitoring & evaluation, public service in Government. Has worked in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) at different levels in various departments of critical importance; most recently at Secretary in Government of India as Principal Adviser & Director General in NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India), last eight (8) years of his experience includes more than 5 years at leadership positions in all the areas of Aviation ministry and 2+ years of experience leading mission on Transformative Mobility & Battery Storage for transition to electric vehicles and greener energy mix in India, resulting in major policy pronouncements by concerned Government ministries. Led & prepared an output & outcome based monitoring & evaluation framework for Government budget and for Prime Minister's review.




Professional Skills


Team Leadership
  • Motivating
  • Career building
  • Outcome focus
  • Participation
Strategic Vision
  • Big picture
  • Perspective
  • Integration
  • Disruption
Execution Excellence
  • Detailing
  • Mobilization
  • Project Management
  • Stakeholders
Management Governance
  • Turnarounds
  • Restructuring
  • Financial Discipline
  • Compliance




Professional Experience


  • Group Head - Corporate Affairs, Amara Raja group of companies - April 2021
  • Amara Raja group is a large conglomerate of companies in the areas of battery manufacturing, power electronics, foods & beverages, fabrication etc. The group is aspiring to enter into Li-ion battery for mobility and energy storage, It is also operating in the area of AC-DC Li-ion battery chargers.
  • Mission Director, National Mission on Transformative Mobility & Battery Storage - April 2019 to March 2021
  • Founding head of the newly established mission to promote shared, connected & clean mobility solutions and battery storage capacities in the country for mobility, stationary energy storage and India's transition to cleaner energy mix.
  • Principle Advisor NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) - May 2017 to March 2021
    Drove multiple projects from ideation to execution
    Consistently driven the agenda to achieve leadership for India in the global mobility paradigm.
    Facilitated technology transfer process and commercialization of Lithium ion Battery Technology developed by Indian Space Research Organization and further developed the case for promotion of Indigenous Charging Standards with a push for design and manufacture in India.
    Prepared policies and schemes for transforming mobility & Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) for India to reach to leadership position with clean, shared, connected, affordable and safe transport systems.
    Forged collaborations with other countries like Japan, France and signed mutually agreed agreements for transfer of technology to be used by indigenous industries.
    Successfully organized first Global Move Summit 2018 in New Delhi in September 2018 to showcase innovation and build a platform to shape the future of mobility. It was inaugurated by Hon. Prime Minister of India with participation of industry, think tanks and global automobile leaders and was aimed to get technology ideas adopted by other countries and to apprise them about India's future plan for transforming mobility. The event was a big success and was very well received by participants and also had great response on the social media.
    Member of the NITI Aayog delegation to 3rd NITI-DRC Dialogue on World Economic Prospects & China-India Economic Cooperation in December 2017 held in China.
    Led Industry delegation of India to China EV 100 Forum to explore cooperation possibilities between EV Industries of two countries. Also addressed the Summit 'Global Zero Emission and All Electric Vehicle'. Delivered keynote address to express thoughts on e-vehicles and mobility/transportation related issues and as panelist in various national and international events.
    Coordinated with different departments of Government of India for the establishment of the National Mission for Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage.
  • Director General, Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office, NITI Aayog: - 2017 to 2019
  • Restructured DMEO office to meet the new challenges and new functional requirements.
    Established a new framework to facilitate transition from merely outlays based monitoring of schemes to result oriented Outputs and Outcomes based monitoring through measurable indicators. The monitoring framework was developed using Strategic Outcome Verification Process (SOVP) toolkit derived from a Results Management System for more than 600 outlays of 66 Ministries/departments covering the entire Centrally Sponsored & Central Sector Schemes under the budget. This included an online dashboard updated by all ministries and departments on a real time basis.
    Provided inputs for Prime Minister's critical monitoring of umbrella schemes on a monthly basis including Quarterly Sectorial Reviews of 15 infrastructure & social sectors.
    Analyzed proposals submitted by all Departments and Ministries of Government of India to Empowered Finance Committee and other committees for approvals & sanctions.
    Conducted Evaluation Studies for Government Schemes for their continuation/dropping in next plan period.
  • Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India: - 2012 to 2017
  • Served in all the areas of civil aviation during a tenure of 5+ years, handled all the functions of the ministry at various times including that of the Airports, Domestic Transport, General Aviation, International Agreements, Aviation Security, Safety Regulator - DGCA, Air India, etc.
    Director on the Boards of Air India, Airports Authority of India, Delhi International Airport Ltd. & Mumbai International Airport Ltd.
    Led Indian side in various bilateral negotiations with more than 20 countries for the exchange of flying rights.
    Led Indian delegations to major Air Shows, including Farnborough, Paris, Moscow, Singapore along with other dignitaries.
    Finalized National Civil Aviation Policy and worked on the Policy for Regional Connectivity, which was subsequently finalized as UDAN.
    Instrumental in organizing India Aviation, the Civil Aviation Air Show at Hyderabad in 2013 & 2015. In 2015, delegations from around 40 countries participated and the event was inaugurated by the Hon. President of India.
    Handled intricate issues related to Operation, Management & Development Agreement (OMDA) of then- privatized Delhi and Mumbai airports.
    Agreements for the brownfield/greenfield airports at Hyderabad, Bangalore, Cochin including the nuances/implications of tariff determination.
    Finalized policy for private partnership in management and operation of the other bigger airports like Kolkata, Chennai, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Guwahati.
    Initiated digital identification of passengers to facilitate speedier passenger movement as head of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (Commissioner of Security - Civil Aviation).
  • Chairman & Managing Director, Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd. - 2012-2015
  • As CEO turned around this loss making Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), operating 50+ aircrafts, to a profit making undertaking, with extensive measures taken for cost cutting and efficient operations the company recovered and recorded highest ever flying hours of aircrafts during FY 2014-15, achieved highest ever revenue and recorded the highest ever net profit in 2014-15 which it could never achieve subsequently. Some of the steps implemented included web based real time monitoring of daily flying and serviceability of all aircrafts, bases /detachments were converted to independent cost center, identification of new areas where helicopters could be deployed.
  • Commissioner & Principal Secretary, Various departments, State Government - 2008 to 2012
  • Held various senior level positions of responsibility including that of Commissioner & Principal Secretary, New & Renewable Energy; Managing Director, Energy Development Corporation; Principal Secretary Revenue; Horticulture & Food Processing departments; Managing Director, Warehousing & Logistics Development Corporation; Secretary Rural Development, Revenue Commissioner Jabalpur Division etc.