Anup Wadhawan Takes Over as New DGFT from Pravir Kumar

Anup Wadhawan, a UP Cadre IAS officer of the 1985-batch is the new Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). The erstwhile DGFT Pravir Kumar was promoted to Secretary rank and shifted to the Interstate Council Secretariat

He was earlier Additional Secretary in the Department of Financial Services.

The rumour is that, Wadhawan’s appointment as DGFT is an interim arrangement and he is expected to stay in the department till March next year (This will be sad since it takes time to learn the ropes of the DGFT and manage the complexity of interactions with the trade and the other department. By the time DGFT learns the ropes, he moves on to another department. This happened to Pravir Kumar who stayed for 18 months or so. Let us hope that Wadhawan will not be another Pravir Kumar! – Ed). Wadhawan has had a bright career at the centre with postings in PMO, Commerce, Environment and Forests, Urban Development and Finance Ministries. He has a strong academic background in economics going up to PhD level. He has a good career ahead with another six years before retirement. In the next three years he should hope to rise to Secretary level, if all goes well.

DGFT position has had the honour to get stalwarts like LK Jha, PC Alexander, Tejendra Khanna, DR Mehta, Shyamal Ghosh and Anup Pujari. The second Anup in Wadhawan has to maintain with an illustrious past.

The Indian Trade Service has grown to become the backbone of the DGFT organisation. Other ministries handling trade matters in recent times have drawn from this cadre for trained man power and woman power. DGFT has become a professional organisation in trade matters with strong domain knowledge and technical excellence.