Former DGFT Dr. P.L Sanjeev Reddy No More

Dr. P. L. Sanjeev Reddy IAS (Retd) left for the heavenly abode in Hyderabad on 15 October, 2012 at the age of 72. He had a rich life with over 35 years in the Civil Service followed by a five year term at IIPA in Delhi. He finally left the Capital seven years ago to settle down at Hyderabad where he served as an independent director on many boards.

He came from a traditional Congress family, his father was an MLA. He named Dr Reddy after late President Neelam Sanjeev Reddy.

Dr Reddy was the Director General of Foreign Trade in the mid 1990s during the first phase of the IMF-WTO backed liberalisation. He took up the cause of policy reform and HS Coding of the Import Policy with his typical flair to push change. He revived the relationship with ABS for this task. The DGFT stint was followed by a long innings as DG of IIFT where he promoted the launch of the World Trade Scanner with IIFT, World Trade Centre and ABS in partnership.

He later rose to become Secretary in Dept of Company Affairs, Rural Development and was also Principal Advisor in Planning Commission. Before coming to Delhi, he was Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu.

An economist by training with University of Cambridge Diploma in Development Studies, he did his Ph.D. in Industrial Management.

We in the Academy of Business Studies (ABS) knew him very well as our friend and benefactor who always extended the helping hand to us. We owe a lot to him and are proud to say that he was one of the engines who pulled us to the current position.

Dr Reddy was a man in a hurry. He was expansive, dynamic and knew how to move with the ball. He often get into trouble due to his “over enthusiasm” as some termed his behaviour. But the remarkable part was that he also got out of the hot water on the strength of the same ebullience! He lost his way but found ways to extricate himself from many a mess. Thus he moved up and up, much to the chagrin of his detractors.

The innings of a controversial and successful go getter has ended. Rest in peace Dr Reddy, We Pray.

- Arun Goyal, Editor -