Who will replace Chaturvedi in RIS?
After a two-year pause, Nalanda University finally has a full-time vice-chancellor. Economist Sachin Chaturvedi has taken charge, succeeding Sunaina Singh, who served a notably extended six-year term. As he steps into his new academic role, Chaturvedi has also been asked to continue as Director General of the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), a New Delhi-based government think tank. RIS, supported by a Governing Council that includes the ministries of external affairs, economic affairs, finance, science and technology, and commerce, is a multi-country platform that advises developing nations on regional and global economic issues.
With Chaturvedi juggling both hats, the Ministry of External Affairs has begun looking for a full-time replacement at RIS. The brief? A candidate with at least 15 years of experience in research and teaching in economics or a related field—including five years as a professor. Unsurprisingly, this has piqued the interest of many former bureaucrats and policy veterans keen to throw their hats into the ring. Traditionally, the RIS has maintained a balance of scholarly and diplomatic heft: its president is a former Indian Foreign Service officer, while the DG is typically an economist—a mix that keeps the numbers and the nuance in check.
'Go far and wide with Op Sindoor'
BJP MPs, senior leaders, and other NDA allies are understood to have been asked to promote the success of Operation Sindoor as widely as possible through their social media platforms, including X. 'Every detail which showcases the abilities of our armed forces must be amplified globally and within the country to make their bravery public,' remarked a BJP functionary. He added that Union cabinet ministers have also been mobilised to popularise government achievements under Prime Minister Modi and highlight the success of Operation Sindoor's success. A source remarked that the suggestion appears to have spurred a competition of sorts, with 'everyone in the cabinet and in organisational roles engaged in a global digital race to ensure Modi's reach extends across the world.'
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