New Delhi: After 45 years of distinguished service in the Indian government, Amitabh Kant has stepped down as India’s G20 Sherpa, marking the end of an era defined by institution-building, policy innovation, and global leadership.
A 1980-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, Kant formally announced his departure in a reflective post on X titled “My New Journey”, thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accepting his resignation and for entrusting him with responsibilities that shaped India’s developmental landscape.
My New Journey:
— Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) June 16, 2025
After 45 years of dedicated government service, I have made the decision to embrace new opportunities and move forward in life. I am incredibly thankful to the Prime Minister of India for accepting my resignation as G20 Sherpa and for having given me the…
“I have made the decision to embrace new opportunities and move forward in life,” he wrote. “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.”
From leading flagship initiatives like Make in India and Startup India as CEO of NITI Aayog to steering India’s global engagement during the G20 presidency, Kant’s legacy is deeply embedded in India’s reform narrative. Yet his exit is not a withdrawal - it is a pivot. As he now turns to nurturing innovation from outside the corridors of power, his next chapter promises to be as consequential as the last.
In his parting note, he acknowledged the support of colleagues, peers, and friends: “Thank you all for being part of this incredible journey.”
Amitabh Kant may have stepped out of officialdom, but his imprint on India’s policymaking landscape will endure, and evolve.
/BI Bureau
