Know Your Babu: New ITDC chairman and 1989 batch IAS Umang Narula

JAMMU and Kashmir cadre IAS of 1989 batch Umang Narula is the new as CMD of Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), a government-owned hospitality company that owns 17 properties under the brand of Ashoka Group of Hotels. Narula, 49, was deputy secretary in the department of culture under the union ministry of tourism and culture way back in…

1998-2002. While on deputation, he took sabbatical to complete a 44-week-long course from the Indian Institute of Public Administration. He served in the state’s home department and also worked as a director in the ministry of home affairs (MHA).

In Jammu and Kashmir, he was deputy commissioner, first in Kargil and then in Anantnag district. The other departments that he had handled in the state include industries and commerce, rural development and elections department among others. Between 2005 and 2008, he was OSD in Jammu and Kashmir Bhawan located in New Delhi.

An MA in economics, Narula also knows French language.

He originally hails from Delhi.

For Narula, the new assignment will be quite challenging as the expectations of tourism minister Mahesh Sharma is very high. Only recently, the minister addressed the senior ITDC officials when he appealed that efforts must be made to revive the ailing ITDC units. He asked the officials to engineer major changes in work culture. The minister further wanted officials to take an “entrepreneur’s approach” and also a “vigorous marketing strategy” for reviving the loss-making hotels.

Only time will say whether Narula’s ITDC will bring in Umang (joy and happiness) in the days to come.