Kant began his Indian Administrative Service career in the Kerala cadre, working as sub collector of Thalassery.,[7] where he carried out infrastructural work such as widening roads, removing encroachments, relocating the town's fish market from the town-centre to the beach area, and initiating the Tellicherry Carnival for communal harmony.[8]
After his tenure in Tellicherry, Kant was appointed as the Managing Director of the Kerala State Co-operative Federation for Fisheries Development Ltd[9]., known as 'Matsyafed.' In this role, he is credited with introducing fibreglass boats and outboard motor technology in the fisheries sector, as well as launching beach-level auctions.[10]
As District Collector of Kozhikode (Calicut), he played a pivotal role in the expansion of the Calicut airport.[11] His efforts included revamping the Mananchira Maidan,[12] reconstructing the building of the Kozhikode Public Library and Research Centre,[13] and organising the 'Malabar Mahotsav' cultural festival. .[14]
As Tourism Secretary in Kerala, Kant promoted the state as a tourist destination,[15] and is credited with popularising the slogan “Kerala: God's Own Country” during his tenure.[16]
After his term in Kerala, Kant was appointed as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism in 2001, where he stayed till 2007.[17] During this time, he conceived the 'Incredible India' campaign through Ogilvy and Mather, intending to transform India into a sought-after tourist destination.
[18] He also conceptualised and executed the ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’(Guest is God) campaign to train taxi drivers, tourist guides, and immigration officials.[19]
Kant was CEO of NITI Aayog from 2016 to 2022.[21] During his tenure, he chaired Empowered Group 3 for COVID-19 management and initiated national-level projects like Asset Monetization and National Mission for Transformative Mobility. Additionally, he advocated for natural farming methods.
[22] In this role, he drove India’s Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP), aimed at improving the socio-economic indicators of 112 of India's most backward districts.[23]
India Today's High & Mighty rankings of 2019 featured Kant as one of the most powerful people in India under the category of "The Supercrats - India's Top Bureaucrats".[25]
Publications
Kant is the author of books Branding India-An Incredible Story, Incredible India 2.0, Made in India: 75 Years of Business and Enterprise, and The Elephant Moves: India's New Place in the World co-authored with Amit Kapoor. He is also the editor of The Path Ahead- Transformative Ideas for India, and has written over 500 articles in leading Indian and foreign publications.
In December 2020, Kant attracted controversy after remarking at a public event, organized by Swarajya magazine, that enacting "tough reforms" were hard in India, since it is "too much of a democracy".[27][28][29][30]
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