Sujata Singh appointed as India’s new foreign secretary; Jaishankar lost out

SENIOR most Indian Foreign Service officer Sujata Singh is becoming India’s next foreign secretary after incumbent Rajan Mathai retires in July end. Mrs Singh, currently India’s ambassador to Germany recently shot off a letter to Prime Minister reportedly stating in clear terms that she would resign if a junior…

Let's not blame diplomats alone if India gets kicked around internationally

CHALLENGING TIME: Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai

WHEN BJP leader Arun Jaitley said in Parliament recently that India was getting “kicked around” internationally, there were gossips in corridors how IFS officers live a good life in New York, London and Paris, make lots of money, drink whisky all day, and do parties at night. But such a perception has proved…

Once in a Blue Moon: Foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai's biggest stunt ever

Mathai (Middle): Enjoying a Manipuri Dish

CLOSELY look at this photograph. India’s top diplomat and foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai is having his lunch while sitting on the floor. The dateline: some store-room look-a-like dinning hall somewhere in Manipur’s capital town of Imphal.  Have yet another look at the photo. There is no spoon, no fork near his plate. Yet, Mathai is enjoying a Manipuri dish by using his hand. As a recent New York Times article says, eating with hands is a highly spiritual, sensual and emotional experience. But for Mathai, the intent is to spread yet another message:

BoI heroes of 2011 scripted future agenga, influenced some and inspired many

It was quite a rough and tough year for Indian bureaucrats. But there were a handful of bureaucrats who refused to give in to the unusual circumstances that overshadowed the corridor's positive developments. This lot of movers and shakers were ahead of the curve. And they demonstrated their ability, innovative ideas and leadership to race ahead of their peers. Here are the BoI heroes of 2011 who refused to fail:

Kuldip Narayan, IAS

In January 2011, even before Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's deadline expired, two Bihar IAS of 2005 batch, Kuldip Narayan and Balamurugan D, set the ball rolling by declaring their assets and liabilities including minor details such as buying of televisions and mobile phones. It was a different matter that every bureaucrat across the country and even the ministers of Manmohan Singh's cabinet later had to declare their assets once the anti-graft campaign of Anna Hazare wooed lakhs of Indians to the streets.
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What did they declare?

Sudhir Chandra, IRS

When 1973 batch Indian Revenue Service officer Sudhir Chandra took over as the chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on December 31, 2010, he ordered the backdoor of his historically significant corner room of North Block opened. The door which remained closed for over 60 years leads to a balcony overlooking the monumental beauty of Raisina Hills --- The Rashtrapati Bhawan. The pillared balcony has reminiscence of history thanks to the emblem of Lord Mountbatten-headed South East Asia Command being carved on a plaque there. Some of his decisions turned controversial, but his firm direction for early refund rejoiced millions of Indian tax payers.
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North Block's corner room overlooking Rashtrapati Bhawan

Former Bureaucrats

As many as 83 distinguished Indian bureaucrats with a combined work experience of about 2,500 man-years are pinning hopes that a court verdict could put in place a mechanism that would insulate bureaucrats from political pressure. Former Union cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian and 82 other distinguished ex-bureaucrats petitioned in Supreme Court seeking urgent administrative reforms. A Supreme Court bench issued notice to the Central and state governments after showering praises on the petitioners that they raised some important questions.
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Who are these 83 bureaucrats?

Ranjan Mathai, IFS
It was not an easy decision, but the government zeroed in on  Ranjan Mathai, a 1974 batch IFS officer, as India's foreign secretary. The Ambassador in Paris was ahead of his peers and batch-mates in the race to replace Ms Nirupama Rao, a 1973 batch IFS, who later became India's ambassador to US post retirement. BoI (babusofindia.com) in a report dated as early as February 28, 2011 said why Mathai would clinch the coveted foreign secretary’s job.
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Mathai Vs Rest

Gautam Sanyal, CSS

Gautam Sanyal, a Central secretariat service officer, is the new poster boy of India’s babudom. Till a few months ago, he was the all-powerful OSD to Union railway minister Mamata Banerjee. But after Ms Banerjee became chief minister of West Bengal, Sanyal too took a flight to Kolkata and became the most important officer in Bengal’s power corridors giving heartburns to many IAS officers.
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Sanyal, Mamata's Pulok Chatterji

Sanjiv Bhatt, IPS

IS Gujarat’s much talked about IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt slowing becoming a real-life Singham, an Ajay Devgan-starred character of a police officer who finally motivates his seniors to join him in a fight against the evil? Bhatt who was arrested on September 30, 2011 on a compliant filed by police constable, is now getting a strong backing from fellow IPS officers of the state.
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Real-life Singham

Vini Mahajan, IAS

Vini Mahajan, one of the most influential bureaucrats in Indian Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and 1987 batch Punjab cadre IAS, will remain at the power centre of Delhi at least till April 2012 after she managed yet another extension. Despite being in controversy in the so-called "official" leakage of the 2G note dragging home minister P Chidambaram, Mahajan remained influential at the nerve-center of Raisina Hills. Her mentor TKA Nair may lose his sheen, but Ms Mahajan has not lost her ground.
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Unconditional Extension

Satyapal Singh, IPS
Satyapal Singh, Additional Director General of Police in Maharashtra and the man who was personally reviewing the security of anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare by visiting Anna’s native village in Ralegan Siddhi is an unusual police officer. His domain knowledge and understanding of Yoga, Vedas and Swami Vivekananda could make many religious experts envious.And he close to Baba Ramdev too.
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Anna's protector, Baba's friend

Neelam Sharma, IFS

Indian Foreign Service officer Neelam Sharma’s decision to marry her batch-mate (2009 batch) and Gujarat cadre IAS Kuldeep Arya was contested by Haryana's Khap Panchayat. It questioned how the IFS officer, a Brahmin, dared to fall in love with a man from another caste. Currently posted in Moscow, IFS Neelam Sharma stood her ground and managed the event like an able diplomat. 
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A diplomat's wedding

Ranjan Mathai is India’s new foreign secretary; BoI (babusofindia.com) said it 4 months ago

Ranjan Mathai, a 1974 batch IFS officer, presently Ambassador in Paris, has been appointed as foreign secretary for a two-year term. Mathai will replace Ms Nirupama Rao, a 1973 batch IFS, who is retiring on July 31, 2011.

BoI (babusofindia.com) in a report dated as early as February 28, 2011 said why Indian ambassador to France Ranjan Mathai would clinch the coveted foreign secretary’s job. “Mathai’s chances have brightened after his batchmate and another strong contender Alok Prasad was sent to Tokyo as Indian ambassador to Japan earlier this month. Prasad who was the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka before becoming the Deputy National Security Adviser was believed to be the front-runner, but his chances slipped after he was shifted out to Japan,” said BoI report.

 Who is Ranjan Mathai?

* Born on May 24, 1952

* Completed his post graduation in political science from the University of Poona

* Joined Indian Foreign Service in 1974

* Served in Indian Embassies in Vienna, Colombo, Washington, Tehran and Brussels

* Worked as joint secretary in the ministry of external affairs between January 1995 and February 1998

* Became the Indian Ambassador to Israel, Indian Ambassador in Qatar, Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK in London before becoming Ambassador of India to France

With Mathai’s appointment, both foreign secretary and cabinet secretary happen to be batch-mates of 1974 batch.

Action and Appointments

a) The competent authority has approved the assignment of additional charge of the post of secretary, department of defence production to Pradeep Kumar, a 1972 batch Haryana cadre IAS and defence secretary with immediate effect and up to July 31, 2011.

b) Appointment Committee of the Cabinet approved that Arun Kumar Mishra, a 1976 batch UP cadre IAS and secretary in the department of drinking water and sanitation, will hold additional charge of the post of secretary in ministry of housing and urban poverty alleviation during the absence on leave of Ms Kiran Dhingra, a 1975 batch UT cadre IAS from July 27, 2011 to August 23, 2011.

Indian ambassador to France Ranjan Mathai turns top contender for next foreign secretary

INDIAN ambassador to France Ranjan Mathai, a 1974 batch IFS officer, is emerging as the top contender to clinch the coveted foreign secretary’s job in July end, 2011 when incumbent Nirupama Rao completes her two years tenure. Of late, Mathai’s chances have brightened after his batchmate and another strong contender Alok Prasad was sent to Tokyo as Indian ambassador to Japan earlier this month. Prasad who was the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka before becoming the Deputy National Security Adviser was believed to be the front-runner, but his chances slipped after he was shifted out to Japan.

According to sources close to the development, the only other officer who could upset Mathai’s chances of becoming foreign secretary is another 1974-batch IFS officer Hardeep Puri, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN.

Born on May 24, 1952, Ranjan Mathai completed his post graduation in political science from the University of Poona before joining Indian Foreign Service in 1974. Earlier, he had served in Indian Embassies in Vienna, Colombo, Washington, Tehran and Brussels and worked as joint secretary in the ministry of external affairs between January 1995 to and February 1998. He was the Indian Ambassador to Israel, Indian Ambassador in Qatar, Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK in London before becoming Ambassador of India to France.

Whatever be the final outcome, it’s certain that a 1974 batch IFS officer would become the country’s next foreign secretary. And if Pulok Chatterjee, known for his proximity to 10 Janpath, becomes the next cabinet secretary in June, 2011 as is widely speculated in corridors of power, both top posts of IAS and IFS would remain with 1974 batch officers for the next two years!

Action and Appointments

a) Government employees in Bihar including over 400 IAS and IPS officers have furnished their details of their assets ahead of the February 28 deadline. The state government had earlier announced that those who would fail to meet the deadline would find their salaries being withheld.

BoI Extraa…

Himachal Pradesh government has instructed bureaucrats to keep the phones on even after office hours. The state government is upset of the fact that officers prefer to keep their mobile phones off.