Wednesday, January 07, 2015

Newly-appointed DGCA M Sathiyavathy can solve tricky maths; How?

ON MONDAY, a 1982 batch IAS officer Ms M Sathiyavathy took over as the new Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), succeeding Prabhat Kumar. Only a few days ago, national newspapers front-paged Sathiyavathy’s selection, as she would be the country’s first woman DGCA. But there are more to her bio-data. Even before she became an IAS, she was a…
gold medallist from IIT-Madras, and that too for her masters in mathematics. Even as an IAS, this 56-year-old AGMUT cadre officer got roles where maths skills do help. For example, between 1995 and 2000, she was joint director in DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade). And then between 2005 and 2007, she was controller in Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Sathiyavathy originally hails from Tamil Nadu.
As an AGMUT cadre officer, she worked in various states. In late 1980s, for example, she was a deputy commissioner in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lohit district. And in the union territory of Puducherry she had a number of assignments before getting elevated as the chief secretary.
She also served as member secretary in Central Silk Board, Bangalore.
She also attended a number of in-service training sessions on issues ranging from financial management to rural energy and ethics in public governance.
Before taking over as the DGCA, she was additional secretary in the ministry of civil aviation.
Will Sathiyavathy’s ability to solve mathematics help her as the civil aviation regulator? Just wait and watch.

1 comment:

  1. "...roles where maths skills do help.." agreed maths skills do help. However what would help (infinitely) more is appointment of a senior ITS (Indian Trade Service) as DGFT. ITS officers are expected to (and get trained) develop expertise in Foreign Trade related matters so why appoint generalists as DGFT or for that matter in other key positions for which knowledge/experience in specialised areas ought to be the guiding parameter. Btw, I'm not an ITS officer - was allocated to the service but didn't join.

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