Gautam Sanyal
{{Short description|Indian civil servant}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Gautam Sanyal
|image = Gautam Sanyal - Principal Secretary CSS.png
|imagesize = 100px
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|birth_date = 14 October 1951
|nationality = Indian
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Gautam Sanyal is an Indian career civil servant who currently serves as Principal Secretary to Government of West Bengal, since June 2015.{{cite web|title=Appointment of Gautam Sanyal as Principal Secretary: Government of West Bengal|url=http://wbpar.gov.in/writereaddata/988-PAR(IAS)_b.pdf|work=Government of West Bengal|access-date=8 July 2015}}{{cite web|title=Unfulfilled once, sealed now - CM's aide is elevated as Principal Secretary|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150627/jsp/frontpage/story_28183.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627091520/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150627/jsp/frontpage/story_28183.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 June 2015|work=The Telegraph (Calcutta)|access-date=5 July 2015}}{{cite news|title=Row over retired officer's promotion|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Row-over-retired-officers-promotion/articleshow/47848369.cms?|work=The Times of India|date=28 June 2015 |access-date=5 July 2015}} In June 2016, he was re-appointed{{cite web|title=Re-employment of Shri Goutam Sanyal as Principal Secretary to Hon'ble Chief Minister (Archived)|url=http://www.wbpar.gov.in/writereaddata/829_b.pdf|work=Government of West Bengal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805103121/http://www.wbpar.gov.in/writereaddata/829_b.pdf|access-date=13 July 2016|archive-date=5 August 2020}} as Principal Secretary and his tenure co-terminus with that of Chief Minister of West Bengal.{{cite web|title=Sovan lines up his team|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160601/jsp/bengal/story_88726.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601132351/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160601/jsp/bengal/story_88726.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 June 2016|work=The Telegraph (Calcutta) |access-date=13 July 2016}}
He previously served as Secretary to Chief Minister of West Bengal from 2011 to 2015.{{cite web |title=Archive: Contact Numbers of Officers of Home Department (WB) |url=http://wb.gov.in/portal/wbhome/cms/HOMECMSPortletWindow;jsessionid=ED77A6BC9F129766479AA5FFB53A8C62.node1?alf_f_name=key_officials_contact.txt&action=e&windowstate=normal&alf_path=WebContent%2Fhomepagelinks%2Fimplinks&mode=view |work=Ministry of Home Affairs |access-date=19 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140618190655/http://wb.gov.in/portal/wbhome/cms/HOMECMSPortletWindow%3Bjsessionid%3DED77A6BC9F129766479AA5FFB53A8C62.node1?alf_f_name=key_officials_contact.txt&action=e&windowstate=normal&alf_path=WebContent%2Fhomepagelinks%2Fimplinks&mode=view |archive-date=18 June 2014 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/PDATOI/articleshow/10504166.cms |title=West Bengal CMO to be headed by retired officer Gautam Sanyal |access-date=17 January 2012 |last= |first= |author2= |date= 27 October 2011|work=The Times of India}}{{cite web |url=http://post.jagran.com/mamata-reinducting-retired-officials-to-guide-wb-on-path-of-progress-1311220133 |title=West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appoints Gautam Sanyal as Secretary |access-date=17 January 2012 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |publisher=Jagran Post Newspaper}} He also previously served as Joint Secretary to Government of India. He is a 1976 batch Central Secretariat Service officer.{{cite web |url=http://persmin.gov.in/DOPT/CSWing/CSDivision/CSS/css_civillist/civil_list_css_2010.pdf |title=Year 2010 Civil List of Group A officers of CSS |access-date=9 February 2012 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |publisher=Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India}}
Early life and education
Sanyal has a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Ashutosh College, a Masters in Sociology from Delhi University in 1997, and later earned a Master of Business Administration from United Kingdom.{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}
Career
{{multiple image
| total_width = 500
| image1 = The Union Minister for Railways, Kumari Mamata Banerjee interacting with the media persons after presentation of Railway Budget 2011-12, in New Delhi on February 25, 2011.jpg
| alt1 = Budhhadeb Banerjee interacting with the media persons after presentation of Railway Budget 2011-12, in New Delhi
| image2 = The Union Minister of Railways, Mamata Banerjee giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget 2011-12, in New Delhi on February 24, 2011.jpg
| alt2 = Mamata Banerjee giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget 2011-12, in New Delhi
| footer = Mamata Banerjee seen here with Chairman and members of Railway Board, Gautam Sanyal (right) and also seen interacting with the media persons after the presentation of Railway Budget 2011-12.
}}
=West Bengal=
Sanyal initially joined the West Bengal Civil Service as an Assistant Commercial Tax Officer (Group C) in 1973.
=Government of India=
Sanyal joined the Central Secretariat Service in 1976 after qualifying through the Civil Services Examination. He served as Under Secretary to Government of India in the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 1990 and later as Deputy Secretary to Government of India in the Ministry of Railways in 1998.
He was later empanelled as Joint Secretary to Government of India in June 2009 by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet and served in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/Sectors/In-Mamata-absence-team-kept-on-the-job/Article1-428356.aspx|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125092744/http://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/Sectors/In-Mamata-absence-team-kept-on-the-job/Article1-428356.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 January 2013|title=In Mamata absence, core team of bureaucrats kept on the job|access-date=7 March 2012|last=Jha|first=Srinand|publisher=Hindustan Times}} He was also the board member of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.{{cite web|title=Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)|url=http://supremecourtcaselaw.com/Food_Safety_Standards_Authority_of_India_(FSSAI).htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930110955/http://supremecourtcaselaw.com/Food_Safety_Standards_Authority_of_India_(FSSAI).htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=30 September 2009|work=SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CASELAW|access-date=18 June 2014}}{{cite web|title=FSSAI gets a new CEO, 7 ex-officio members|url=http://www.fnbnews.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=25301§ionid=38|work=Food & Beverage News|access-date=18 June 2014}}
He later served as Officer on Special Duty to Union Cabinet Minister of Railways from 2009 to 2011. He retired in 2011.
After retirement from the Central Government, he was appointed as Secretary to the Chief Minister of West Bengal. His appointment and tenure to the post was made co-terminous with that of the Chief Minister.{{cite web |url=http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=400668&catid=42 |title=Food minister wants extension for dept secy|access-date=26 October 2012 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |publisher=The Statesman}}
Recognition
He is the first non Indian Administrative Service officer{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/election-news/in-mayas-footsteps/880243|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126041007/http://www.indianexpress.com/election-news/in-mayas-footsteps/880243|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 January 2013|title=In Mayawati's footsteps|access-date=21 January 2012|publisher=The Indian Express}}{{cite web|url=http://www.asianage.com/columnists/caught-loop-047|title=Caught in the loop|access-date=9 February 2012|publisher=Asian Age|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206124246/http://www.asianage.com/columnists/caught-loop-047|archive-date=6 December 2011|df=dmy-all}} in West Bengal and the first retired civil servant{{cite web |url=http://202.144.14.20/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&show=archive&id=388572&catid=35&year=2011&month=11&day=2&Itemid=66 |title=West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee man in perpetuity! |access-date=21 January 2012 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |publisher=The Statesman |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121128225744/http://202.144.14.20/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&show=archive&id=388572&catid=35&year=2011&month=11&day=2&Itemid=66 |archive-date=28 November 2012 |url-status=dead }} to hold the position of Secretary in the Chief Ministers Office. He also became the first non IAS officer in history to hold the position of Principal Secretary in State governments of India.{{cite web |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/IAS-Lobby-Frets-Over-Eroding-Monopoly/2015/08/09/article2964488.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150811213626/http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/IAS-Lobby-Frets-Over-Eroding-Monopoly/2015/08/09/article2964488.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2015 |title=IAS Lobby Frets Over Eroding Monopoly|access-date=14 August 2015 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |publisher=The New Indian Express}}{{cite web |url=http://www.bureaucracytoday.com/latestnews.aspx?id=120276 |title=DoPT rejects IAS Association plea|access-date=14 August 2015 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |publisher=Bureaucracy Today}}
In 2011, a news blog declared him as the new poster boy of India's civil services.{{cite web|title=Gautam Sanyal is Mamata's Pulok; shows how a CSS officer can upset IAS power|url=http://www.babusofindia.com/2011/10/gautam-sanyal-is-mamatas-pulok-shows.html|publisher=Babus of India|access-date=23 September 2014}} The Indian Express and The Financial Express rate him as top state bureaucrat in India in the article most powerful Indians for the year 2013.{{cite web|title=The most powerful Indians in 2013: Top Public Figures|date=23 April 2013 |url=http://m.indianexpress.com/news/the-most-powerful-indians-in-2013-top-public-figures/1106108/|publisher=The Indian Express|access-date=12 June 2013}}{{cite web|title=The most powerful Indians in 2013: Top Public Figures|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/the-most-powerful-indians-in-2013-top-public-figures/1106108/0|publisher=The Financial Express|access-date=12 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924041147/http://www.financialexpress.com/news/the-most-powerful-indians-in-2013-top-public-figures/1106108/0|archive-date=24 September 2014|df=dmy-all}} Many media articles consider him to the most powerful civil servant in the state in India{{cite web|title=Dilli Ka Babu|url=https://afternoondc.in/nation/dilli-ka-babu/article_81830|publisher=Afternoon|access-date=12 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130620213725/https://afternoondc.in/nation/dilli-ka-babu/article_81830|archive-date=20 June 2013|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|title=No love lost|url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130414/commentary-op-ed/commentary/no-love-lost|publisher=Deccan Chronicle|access-date=12 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525080557/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130414/commentary-op-ed/commentary/no-love-lost|archive-date=25 May 2013|df=dmy-all}} and the "most important officer" in the Government of West Bengal.{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/government-and-policy/article3595195.ece|title=West Bengal forms 11-member panel to check price rise|access-date=21 January 2012|publisher=Business Line|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120704125737/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/government-and-policy/article3595195.ece|archive-date=4 July 2012|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-27/kolkata/30327940_1_ias-officer-chief-secretary-principal-secretary |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111031085734/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-27/kolkata/30327940_1_ias-officer-chief-secretary-principal-secretary |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 October 2011 |title=CMO to be headed by retired officer|access-date=21 January 2012 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |work=The Times of India}}{{cite web |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/she-stops-to-conquer/925068/0 |title=She stops to conquer|access-date=19 October 2012 |last=Nagchoudhury |first=Subrata |date= 18 March 2012|publisher=The Indian Express}}{{cite web |url=http://gfilesmagazine.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html |title=Mamata vs Babus: West Bengal Bureaucracy|access-date=21 January 2012 |last=Raychaudhuri |first=Diptendra |date= |publisher=gfiles Magazine}}
In 2015, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (DOPT) of Government of India rejected petition filed by the IAS association against the appointment of Gautam Sanyal as the Principal Secretary.{{cite web|title=IAS Lobby Frets Over Eroding Monopoly|date=9 August 2015 |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2015/aug/09/ias-lobby-frets-over-eroding-monopoly-797006.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605102008/https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2015/aug/09/IAS-Lobby-Frets-Over-Eroding-Monopoly-797006.html|url-status=live|archive-date=5 June 2020|publisher=The New Indian Express|access-date=5 June 2020}} In 2018, India Today listed Sanyal in top 10 hidden corridor power in India.{{cite web|title=Official Top 10: Hidden power|date=19 April 2018 |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20180430-indian-bureaucracy-india-top-bureaucrats-powerful-ajit-doval-amitabh-kant-1216644-2018-04-19|publisher=India Today|access-date=18 June 2018}}
Issues
In 2013, media articles reported that CBI director Ranjit Sinha had placed Sanyal on his hit-list.{{cite web|title=Mamata's men on CBI hit-list|url=http://www.sunday-guardian.com/buzzword/mamatas-men-on-cbi-hit-list|publisher=The Sunday Guardian|access-date=23 September 2014}}{{cite web|title=Saradha: The Cookie Can Crumble Thus|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/printarticle.aspx?285479|publisher=Outlook (magazine)|access-date=23 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924044949/http://www.outlookindia.com/printarticle.aspx?285479|archive-date=24 September 2014|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|title=Mamata Banerjee's tenure as railway minister under CBI scanner|date=12 May 2013 |url=http://gulfnews.com/news/world/india/mamata-banerjee-s-tenure-as-railway-minister-under-cbi-scanner-1.1182400|publisher=Gulf News|access-date=23 September 2014}} In 2019, media reported that Sanyal is in the process of investigation by Enforcement Directorate in connection with the disinvestment of a state government company in West Bengal.{{cite web|title=Not just Rajeev Kumar, 3 more top IAS and IPS officers close to Mamata are being probed|date=27 August 2019 |url=https://theprint.in/india/governance/not-just-rajeev-kumar-3-more-top-ias-and-ips-officers-close-to-mamata-are-being-probed/281308/|publisher=The Print|access-date=27 September 2019}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
{{portal|Biography|India}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20180617215111/http://rcwb.in/rcwb/about-us/list-of-departmental-secretaries-west-bengal/ Departmental Secretaries (Archived)] Official Government of West Bengal (2018)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20190523101330/http://wbpar.gov.in/writereaddata/988-PAR(IAS)_b.pdf Appointment to Government (Archived)] Official Government of West Bengal, Personnel and Administrative Reforms (2015)
- [https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2015/aug/09/ias-lobby-frets-over-eroding-monopoly-797006.html IAS Lobby Frets Over Eroding Monopoly] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605102008/https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2015/aug/09/IAS-Lobby-Frets-Over-Eroding-Monopoly-797006.html |date=2020-06-05}} The New Indian Express (2015)
- {{cite web
|url=http://alpha.newsx.com/story/super-cmo-be-real-power-centre-wb
|title=Super CMO: Power Center in West Bengal
|publisher=NewsX
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120117150432/http://alpha.newsx.com/story/super-cmo-be-real-power-centre-wb
|archive-date=17 January 2012
|url-status=dead
|df=dmy
}}
- {{cite news
|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/PDATOI/articleshow/8497849.cms
|title=Trusted officials on the list: CM Mamta Banerjee
|work=The Times of India
|date=22 May 2011
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424052130/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/PDATOI/articleshow/8497849.cms
|archive-date=24 April 2024
|url-status=live
|df=dmy
}}
- [http://www.thesundayindian.com/en/story/mamata-ropes-in-officials-from-railway-ministry/29069/ Mamata ropes in officials from Railway Ministry]
- {{cite web
|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_mamata-wants-to-run-rlys-from-kolkata_1258987
|title=Mamata wants to run Railways from Kolkata
|publisher=Daily News and Analysis (DNA)
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130121141056/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_mamata-wants-to-run-rlys-from-kolkata_1258987
|archive-date=21 January 2013
|url-status=dead
|df=dmy
}}
- [http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=377406&catid=35 Civil Servants scramble to keep up with workaholic Chief Minister]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120305023613/http://www.qcin.org/archives/foodsaftylaunch/index.htm The list of Presentations of the Proceedings of Food Safety And Quality Year 2008–09]
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{{s-ttl|title=Order of Precedence of India
as Joint Secretary to Government of India|years=2009 to 2011}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanyal, Gautam}}
Category:People from West Bengal
Category:Asutosh College alumni
Category:Delhi University alumni
Category:Indian civil servants