BW Communities

Rajiv Kumar & The Chambers

BW Online Bureau Nov 08, 2014

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><root available-locales="en_US," default-locale="en_US"><static-content language-id="en_US"><![CDATA[Rajiv Kumar, the new secretary-general of Ficci (Federation of Indian Chamber and Commerce & Industry), is well aware that he will be constantly compared with his predecessor Amit Mitra, who has moved on to set right West Bengal's barren exchequer. For more than a decade-and-a-half, Mitra was synonymous with Ficci. He was more than just its public face. He was Mr Ficci. So how does he actually compare with Mitra? Kumar has impressive credentials. He was handpicked by Mitra as director-general-Ficci in October 2010 from Icrier (Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations) where he served as director and CEO. Yet a year is too short a time to learn the (rope) tricks of the art of lobbying. A Ficci insider describes Kumar's job correctly: "It will be a different ball game altogether." <table style="width: 250px;" align="right" border="0" cellpadding="9" cellspacing="9"> <tbody> <tr> <td>THE REFORMIST</td> </tr> <tr> <td>NAME Rajiv Kumar, 59</td> </tr> <tr> <td>CAREER <ul> <li>Secretary general, Ficci (May 2011)</li> <li>director-general, Ficci (October 2010)</li> <li>director and CEO, Icrier </li> <li>chief economist, CII (2004)</li> <li>Asian Development Bank (1995)</li> <li>Economic advisor, Ministry of Finance (1989)</li> <li>Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (1987)</li> </ul> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>EDUCATION DPhil in economics from Oxford University and PhD from Lucknow University</td> </tr> <tr> <td> LATEST BOOK Many Futures of India (April 2011)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> He comes in at a time when big business's nexus with the political order is under the scanner. Kumar has to repair the image. It is also tough times for the economy — inflation, oil prices, and a jolted India Inc. His new corner office at New Delhi's Mandi House will be a lonely place. It will call for many hard hours at the desk. Concedes Kumar: "The sacrifices and devotion of Mitra cannot be replicated. But let me assure you, he also knows that I am his co-traveller and a fellow reformist". Mitra chiselled a new profile for the industry body. "Ficci embraced a bright future under Mitra. It saw exceptional growth and became Indian industry's voice for policy change," says Harsh Mariwala, president of Ficci and chairman and managing director of Marico. When Mitra stepped into Ficci, it had an annual income of just Rs 7 crore; when he demitted office, it was at more than Rs 100 crore. It now has offices across the world — in the US, UK, Italy, Malaysia and China. It plays the role of a catalyst — driving investments between India and these countries. Mitra also saw to it that Ficci found its place under the sun — it held its own against its more flamboyant arch rival, the Confederation of Indian Industry. Mitra got the powers-that-be to shift two prominent events to Ficci — the India Brand Equity Fund and UK Investments from CII. He was India Inc.'s point man in New Delhi. Can Kumar do a Mitra? Kumar is quite a scholar. He has a DPhil. in economics from Oxford University and a PhD from Lucknow University. He serves on the board of the State Bank of India; is part of advisors group for the G-20; and also sits on the expert committee on National Small Saving Funds. He sets out his priorities: "I am a reformist. I want to work for the integrated domestic markets. I jokingly say to my peers that before India signs an FTA (free trade agreement) with any country, it should have it amongst its states first! This would include issues related to free movement of products, and reforms in indirect taxes". He adds that globally, India has sold the ‘Incredible India' story. Now it is the time for selling credible India. "We must maximise India's advantage". His immediate focus is on employment generation. "This should be the only and exclusive focus at this moment. Inclusive growth is only possible if you can provide employment to the youth." Kumar's biggest challenge will be, though, to see that the powers in the government pay as much attention to him as they did to Mitra. (This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 06-06-2011)