Amitabh Kant
Independent Director
Amitabh Kant (70) was appointed as an Independent Director on the ITC Board effective January 1, 2026.
A Graduate in Economics (Hons.) from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a Post Graduate in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Kant, a retired IAS Officer, is a governance reformer and public policy change agent. He joined IAS in 1980 (Kerala cadre) and has administrative experience spanning over four decades.
Kant served as India’s G20 Sherpa to the Prime Minister during India’s G20 Presidency, where he led consensus on the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, including the Green Development Pact and Global South Priorities. He was also Secretary of the then Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, where he led the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Startup India’ initiatives, and was the longest serving Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog, where he spearheaded major reforms including the Aspirational Districts Programme, Production-Linked Incentive Schemes, Ease of Doing Business, National Green Hydrogen Mission, and National Asset Monetisation Pipeline. Earlier, he served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, where he led the ‘Incredible India’ campaign, and as Tourism Secretary to the Government of Kerala, where he drove the ‘God’s Own Country’ campaign. He has also authored various books including ‘Made in India - 75 years of Business and Enterprise’, ‘Incredible India 2.0 - Synergies for Growth and Governance’, and ‘Branding India - An Incredible Story’, and is a recipient of several Awards.
Other Directorships and Positions
| Name of the entity | Position |
|---|---|
| HCL Technologies Limited | Independent Director |
| InterGlobe Aviation Limited | Non-Executive Director |
| Larsen & Toubro Limited | Independent Director |
| L&T Technology Services Limited | Independent Director |
| Raphe mPhibr Private Limited | Independent Director |
| upGrad Education Private Limited | Independent Director |
| Amitabh Kant Knowledge LLP | Designated Partner |