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Former deputy NSA Arvind Gupta to head Vivekananda Intl Foundation
Vivekananda International Foundation was established in December 2009 with current NSA Ajit Doval as its founder director
Retired official of the Indian Foreign Service and former deputy national security adviser Arvind Gupta will take over as the new chief of the influential think tank, the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF).
Sources told HT that Gupta, a 1979 batch officer, is likely to take over as director of the VIF next month. Gupta who has expertise in political, economic and strategic security areas and was part of the Kargil Review Committee to suggest how to stop armed intrusions, will replace the current director, former army chief General (rtd) NC VIj.
The Foundation,established in December 2009, had Ajit Doval, the current NSA, as its founder director. It hit headlines after the 2014 landslide victory of the BJP at the general elections, when it was perceived to have become a recruitment ground for some of the top jobs in the administration.
While Doval was picked as the NSA, principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nripendra Mishra, was a member of the executive council and a senior fellow with VIF.
NITI Aayog member Bibek Debroy, Prasar Bhararti chairman A Surya Prakash and IIMC director general KG Suresh were associated with the think tank.
