From MHA to culture secretary Sangita Gairola's journey sails smooth

THOSE were the turbulent days when Jet Airways was linked to underworld. It was fiercely denied, but then telecom and disinvestment minister Arun Shourie picked up an intelligence report when the issue of civil aviation ministry’s proposal to allow Jet Airways and Air Sahara to fly international, cropped up in cabinet in February 2004. And the woman who handled that and many other highly sensitive matters in the home ministry was then joint secretary Sangita Gairola, a 1977 batch Rajasthan cadre IAS. Ms Gairola was an influential joint secretary in the ministry of home affairs for five long years when LK Advani was at the helm of North Block.
Now, Sangita Gairola has been appointed as India’s new culture secretary. This is however not to suggest that Ms Gairola, an MA in English literature, is a firebrand lady with no experiences in tourism and culture. In fact, she was principal secretary of tourism, art and culture in Rajasthan government in 2004-05. In April 2008, she joined Union social justice and empowerment ministry as an addition secretary. Later, she was elevated to the rank of a special secretary. Beginning her career as a sub-divisional officer at Alwar in late 1970s, Gairola first joined the Central government in 1989 as a deputy secretary in Union agriculture ministry. She had also served as chief electoral officer of Rajasthan government.

New ED for a month

Amitabh Rajan, a 1979 batch Maharashtra cadre IAS, has been given additional charge as Director Enforcement for one month. As director ED, Rajan incidentally has to look into the case of two of his own IAS batch-mates, Tinu Joshi and Arvind Joshi. The ED has already attached Joshi couple’s properties of over Rs 6 crore. According to estimates by Income-Tax department, Joshis are worth Rs 240 crore. While talking to local media, Arvind Joshi contradicted such claims.

Babu Tweets

Dr SY Quraishi, a 1971 batch Haryana cadre IAS and India’s Chief Election Commissioner, has joined the Twitter bandwagon. @DrSYQURAISHI is his address in the world of micro-blogging. And he was pretty active yesterday night replying to a number of tweets on assembly elections that are currently taking place in five Indian states. “Right friends. Good bye and good night for now. Lots of files to clear” was Dr Quraishi’s last tweet yesterday night. You can also spot babu blogger’s tweeting action at twitter.com/babublogger