Amitabh Kant has been appointed as Non-Executive Independent Director of upGrad, the integrated learning and skilling platform.
Kant is a retired IAS officer from the Kerala cadre (1980 batch) and most recently served as India’s G20 Sherpa. He was the CEO of NITI Aayog from 2016 to 2022 and previously served as Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DIPP), where he spearheaded key national initiatives including Make in India, Startup India, and the Aspirational Districts Programme.
During his tenure at NITI Aayog, he advanced major reforms in electric mobility, sustainable development goals (SDGs), asset monetisation, and ease of doing business. Kant has also chaired several important national committees focused on tourism, industrial corridors, innovation, and green technologies.
Earlier in his career, he held senior roles in the Government of Kerala and was instrumental in launching globally acclaimed tourism campaigns such as God’s Own Country and Incredible India. Kant is also an author and editor of several books on public policy, governance, and nation branding, and continues to engage in development and sustainability initiatives.
