Meet Amitabh Kant — The IAS Officer Behind G20, Make In India & Aspirational Districts, Who Bows Out After 45 Years Of Service

Amitabh Kant, a 1979-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Kerala cadre, has formally concluded his tenure in government after 45 years. His career has spanned several critical domains, including tourism, industry, infrastructure, public policy, and international diplomacy.

Kant announced his departure from public service via LinkedIn, stating, “After 45 years of dedicated service to the Government, I have decided to embrace new opportunities and begin a new chapter… Humbled to have played a small role.”

Publications and Future Plans

Kant is the author of Branding India – An Incredible Story and is a Chevening Scholar. He holds degrees from St Stephen’s College, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and IIM Ahmedabad and has completed courses at the Harvard Kennedy School.

In his farewell note, Kant mentioned plans to contribute to India's development in a new capacity through work with startups, think tanks, and academic institutions.

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Administrative Career in Kerala

Kant began his administrative service in Kerala, where he served as District Collector of Kozhikode, Secretary of Tourism, and Managing Director of the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation. During his tenure, he was involved in tourism and infrastructure development projects.

Notably, he conceptualised the “God’s Own Country” campaign to promote Kerala as a travel destination. Other contributions included the development of Calicut Airport through a public-private partnership, infrastructure upgrades at Kozhikode beach and Mananchira Maidan, and initiatives to support the fisheries sector through Matsyafed.

National-Level Tourism Initiatives

Kant later moved to the central government, where he served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism between 2001 and 2007. He played a key role in launching the “Incredible India” and “Atithi Devo Bhava” campaigns, which aimed to brand India as a global tourism destination.

In addition to marketing efforts, he contributed to rural tourism development through the UNDP-supported Endogenous Tourism Project, integrating local crafts and communities into tourism initiatives.

Role in Industrial Reforms and Startup Ecosystem

As Secretary of the Department for Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Kant led policy measures focused on economic liberalisation and industrial growth. He was involved in the launch of “Make in India” and “Startup India” to encourage domestic manufacturing and entrepreneurship.

During this period, India improved its ranking by 79 positions in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business index. He also introduced state-level rankings to incentivise reform at the sub-national level. These efforts contributed to the expansion of India's startup ecosystem, which now includes over 70,000 registered startups and more than 100 unicorns.

Tenure as CEO of NITI Aayog

In 2016, Kant was appointed as CEO of NITI Aayog, the government's policy think tank. He led the Aspirational Districts Programme, which focused on improving socio-economic indicators in 112 underdeveloped districts through data tracking and targeted interventions.

He introduced several performance-based indices, such as the SDG India Index, Composite Water Management Index, School Education Quality Index, and the Health Index. These tools were used to monitor state performance and promote evidence-based policymaking.

He also led efforts to develop India’s Multidimensional Poverty Index and extend SDG tracking to the district level, especially in the Northeast.

Electric Mobility and Green Energy Initiatives

Kant played a central role in advancing India’s sustainability and electric mobility agenda. As chair of the National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage, he facilitated policies for the procurement of over 5,500 electric buses, supported the creation of battery swapping guidelines, and helped draft EV policies across 26 states.

He was also involved in formulating the Green Hydrogen Mission and Advanced Chemistry Cells programme, aimed at promoting clean energy adoption and domestic manufacturing.

Asset Monetisation and Infrastructure Development

Under Kant’s leadership, NITI Aayog developed the Rs 6 lakh crore National Asset Monetisation Pipeline, aimed at unlocking capital from public sector assets. The initiative exceeded its first-year targets and was part of a broader strategy to attract private investment in infrastructure.

He also served on boards including the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Digital Communications Commission, and the National Statistical Commission.

Governance, Regulatory Reform, and Behavioural Science

Kant supported several governance and regulatory reforms, including decriminalisation of minor business offences and the promotion of online dispute resolution mechanisms.

He also established India’s first Behavioural Insights Unit to apply behavioural science to public policy, supporting initiatives such as the LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) campaign, which aimed to promote sustainable consumption patterns.

G20 Sherpa and International Engagements

Kant was appointed India’s G20 Sherpa in 2022 and played a key role in negotiating the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration during India’s G20 Presidency in 2023. Despite global divisions, he led efforts that resulted in the unanimous adoption of the declaration and the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent G20 member.

He coordinated over 220 G20 meetings across all Indian states and union territories. He has also represented India at the World Economic Forum and worked with international organisations such as the OECD and the EDISON Alliance.