Low profile, yet outspoken, Trai's Vaghela knows how to take tough calls

his biggest break came when he returned to the state and was made commissioner (commercial taxes) in 2016

If there were awards for popularity, it is unlikely P D Vaghela would get one. The 1986 batch IAS officer from Gujarat, who has just been named chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), is not in the business of winning friends and influencing people. “He is a totally straight guy, not diplomatic at all and one who knows his job. He is always fighting for the little people and is a dedicated Ambedkar-ite,” says a course mate.

Local journalists — the first responders in any crisis — agree only partly. “He is a down-to-earth person, a Dalit