NITI Aayog Appoints Research Experts Under Fellowship Guidelines

NITI Aayog has appointed four renowned research experts for one year in November 2023. These four new members will enrich NITI Aayog with their understanding and expertise on key social, economic and technological issues as well as significant work experience.

• The four famous persons who have joined NITI Aayog (the premier policy making body of the Government of India) are:

Dr. Anoop Singh:

• Dr. Anoop Singh, a member of the Fifteenth Finance Commission, has served as Director of the Asia Pacific Department, Director of the Western Hemisphere Department and Director of Special Operations in the Office of the MD at the International Monetary Fund.
• Dr. Anoop Singh was also a special advisor to the then Governors of the Reserve Bank of India.
• Dr. Singh has written extensively on macroeconomic issues, monitoring and crisis management, including helping to design IMF-supported programs in emerging markets, transition and developing countries in South and Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America.
• His research focuses on the topics of India's fiscal structure, fiscal administration and fiscal federalism.

Dr. O. P. Aggarwal:

• Dr. O. P. Aggarwal:, a 1979 batch IAS officer, has wide experience and expertise in urban transportation. He was also involved in the formulation of the National Urban Transport Policy.
• Dr. Agarwal has also worked with the World Bank for 6 years as a Global Urban Transport Advisor in Washington DC.
• Dr. Agarwal was also the Executive Director at the Indian School of Business and the CEO of the World Resources Institute.
• Dr. Aggarwal chaired the US Transportation Research Board Committee on Transportation in Developing Countries for a period of 6 years.
• Dr. Aggarwal has written several research papers on urban transport policy and governance issues.

Dr. Ajay Chaudhary:

• Dr. Ajay Chaudhary is one of the co-founders of HCL and has played a leading role in establishing the electronics industry in India.
• Dr Choudhary has served on various government committees since 1999.
• In 2009, Dr Choudhary chaired the task force constituted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, which made important recommendations regarding the country's electronics import bill. These recommendations laid the foundation of the electronics policy.
• Dr Choudhary has been nominated as Advisory Board Member in India Semiconductor Mission by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. He was also a member of the Consultative Group on Science & Technology and Innovation Sector and a member of the Committee on Semiconductor Sector in NITI Aayog.
• In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan in 2011.
• Dr. Ajay Chaudhary has played an important role in shaping the centers of learning including IIT Hyderabad and IIT Naya Raipur and creating space for intellectual growth.
• Dr. Chaudhary has attended the Executive Program at the School of Business Administration at the University of Michigan, USA.

V. Lakshmikumaran:

• V. Lakshmikumaran is a legal expert. Lakshmikumaran has 35 years of experience in law.
• He advise companies in all areas of taxation including international taxation and transfer pricing, Goods and Services Tax (GST), Customs, Excise, Service Tax, Value Added Tax (VAT), Foreign Trade Policy, Special Economic Zones and offer consulting, advisory, litigation and compliance services.
• V Lakshmikumaran has successfully represented companies from several countries in several anti-dumping, subsidy and trade investigations initiated by India.
• V Lakshmikumaran has handled numerous disputes between companies and government authorities in various countries.
• As a representative of the International Chamber of Commerce, Lakshmikumaran has participated in the meetings of the WCO-HS (World Customs Organization – Harmonized System) Committee on Classification in Brussels.

How will these experts be helpful to NITI Aayog?

• The intellectual diversity, global and national perception, expertise in socio-economic fields of these renowned personalities; This will help NITI Aayog to contribute to the ever-evolving socio-economic scenario of the country.