Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 Sherpa, has stepped down from his post, marking the end of a 45-year career in public service. In a statement, Kant said, “I have made the decision to embrace new opportunities and move forward in life.”
He expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the opportunity to serve as G20 Sherpa, saying, “I am incredibly thankful to the Prime Minister of India for accepting my resignation as G20 Sherpa and for having given me the opportunity to drive a range of developmental initiatives and contribute to the growth, development, and progress of India.”
Kant also thanked his colleagues and peers: “I am grateful to all my colleagues, peers and friends for their patience, understanding, and support.”
Looking ahead, Kant said he plans to stay engaged with India’s developmental journey: “I now look forward to contributing to India’s transformational journey towards Viksit Bharat by facilitating and supporting free enterprise, startups, think tanks, and academic institutions.”
Before his role as G20 Sherpa, Kant, a 1980-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, served as CEO of NITI Aayog (2016–2022), India’s policy think tank, where he led several flagship initiatives aimed at inclusive and sustainable development.
Kant was instrumental in launching and scaling campaigns such as Make in India, Startup India, Incredible India, and the Aspirational Districts Programme. As G20 Sherpa, Kant represented India when the country assumed the G20 presidency and hosted the 2023 G20 Summit. During his tenure at NITI Aayog, Kant also spearheaded the National Multidimensional Poverty Index, India’s SDG Index, the Behavioural Insights Unit, and the National Mission on Transformative Mobility.