Suman Bery takes charge as Niti Aayog vice-chairman

Suman Bery takes over as Niti Aayog vice-chairman.

Eminent economist Suman Bery on Sunday took charge as the Vice-Chairman of the government think tank Niti Aayog, according to an official statement.

Bery has previously served as director-general (chief executive) of the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) and the global chief economist of Royal Dutch Shell.

He was also a member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, Statistical Commission and the Reserve Bank of India's Technical Advisory Committee on Monetary Policy.

"NITI Aayog welcomes Suman Bery as NITI Aayog's Vice Chairman with effect from May 1, 2022," the statement said.

An experienced policy economist and research administrator, Bery has replaced Rajiv Kumar as the vice chairman of the government think tank.

Kumar took over as vice chairman of Niti Aayog in August 2017 after the then VC Arvind Panagariya exited the government think-tank to return to academics.

"Rajiv Kumar leaves me a dynamic organisation with lots of fresh, young talent and strong links with stakeholders inside and outside the government," the statement quoted Bery as saying.

"I am deeply honoured to have been entrusted with its charge at a time of great global uncertainty," he said.

According to Bery, Niti Aayog's challenge is to develop a vision of the way ahead based on deep analysis and wide debate and to work with India's states, which is where economic development ultimately happens.

India's economic and social choices are of significance to the entire world, he noted.

Bery's recent affiliations include senior visiting fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi; non-resident fellow at Bruegel, Brussels; and Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington DC.