5 Civil Servants to Watch Out For, 2018: At No 5 is new foreign secretary Vijay Keshav Gokhale

ON THE first day of the new year 2018, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of Vijay Keshav Gokhale, 1981 batch Indian Foreign Service officer and secretary (economic relations) in the ministry of external affairs, as the foreign secretary in place of Dr S Jaishankar, who is completing his tenure on January 28, 2018. In BoI’s new list of 5 Civil Servants to Watch Out For, 2018, Gokhale is No 5, with the remaining four to be named in the next few days. Gokhale, who as…

Jaishankar’s extension ends hopes for Wadhwa, Sujata Mehta; But Vijay Gokhale is still a contender to be the next foreign secretary

Vijay Gokhale

THE Centre’s recent decision to give one year-extension to foreign secretary and 1977 batch IFS S Jaishankar last week beyond his two-year-long fixed term did not raise any controversy as such. He is considered a highly efficient officer and has done a good job in the last two years after he was appointed in a not-so-smooth change of guard two years ago by curtailing the tenure of the then foreign secretary Sujatha Singh. But the one year bonus to Jaishankar, that too after making changes in a British era rule (a provision of Fundamental Rules, 1922) has, however, ended hopes of at least three senior-most IFS officers who were hoping for the top job. There were speculations that…

S Jaishankar becomes India’s foreign secretary, finally; Sujatha Singh sacked

S Jaishankar

IN WHAT could turn out to be a game-changer in Indian diplomacy, the government on Wednesday night sacked foreign secretary and 1976 batch IFS Sujatha Singh and appointed India’s ambassador to US Dr S Jaishankar as the new foreign secretary for a term of two years. Jaishankar, the topper of his 1977 batch, had narrowly missed the bus when the government “reluctantly” chose Sujatha Singh as India’s top diplomat in August, 2013. Former foreign secretary Nirupama Rao has termed Jaishankar’s appointment an “outstanding choice”. BoI picks out a few reasons to piece together why Modi Sarkar brought in Jaishankar in such a dramatic way:

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…

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:

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.