Ex-PM Manmohan's media advisor Sanjaya Baru becomes Ficci secretary-general

Baru will replace Didar Singh, who had been serving as Ficci's secretary-general for the past 5 yrs

Sanjaya Baru, who had earlier been media advisor to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has become the new secretary-general of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci).

He was confirmed to the position on Tuesday by the Ficci board. He will replace A Didar Singh, who had served in the role for 5 years.

While Baru would take charge from September 1, the current secretary-general, who wanted to take on a lighter responsibility, would continue at the body as a strategic advisor to the President of the organisation, Ficci President Pankaj Patel told Business Standard.

“With A Dildar Singh’s personal efforts, Ficci has shaped up extremely well in the past five years and has been extremely resilient in dealing with domestic and global challenges, as well as in supporting Indian industry in capitalising on new emerging opportunities,” Patel added.

Baru had become Manmohan Singh's media advisor and chief spokesperson, a role in which he served from May 2004 until August 2008. In April 2014, his book The Accidental Prime Minister, a detailed memoir about his time serving the PM, was published by Penguin India. After taking up the role of the PM's media advisor, Baru was the Editor of Business Standard from January 2010 to October 2011.