Now Reading: BBC exec Gautam Rangarajan appointed UK PM’s adviser
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BBC exec Gautam Rangarajan appointed UK PM’s adviser
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed Gautam Rangarajan, son of former Indian diplomat L. N. Rangarajan, as an Expert Adviser on Structure and Process, Downing Street announced this week. Mr. Rangarajan,…
The Story in Brief
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed Gautam Rangarajan, son of former Indian diplomat L. N. Rangarajan, as an Expert Adviser on Structure and Process, Downing Street announced this week. Mr. Rangarajan, a BBC executive with over three decades of experience including as Group Director of Strategy, will help restructure the UK government to devolve power from London and Whitehall to the regions. Mr. Burnham has also launched a hub office called No.10 North in Manchester.
Mr. Rangarajan’s late father served as India’s ambassador to five countries and translated Kautilya’s Arthashastra. His brother, Vijay Rangarajan, is Chief Executive of the UK Electoral Commission. The announcement highlights the family’s deep ties to both Indian diplomacy and British public life.
The Indian Opinion
Indian media often celebrates diaspora appointments as a sign of influence, but the real test is whether they shift policy. Mr. Rangarajan’s background is in corporate strategy, not civil service restructuring. The Burnham government’s promise to move power from Whitehall to the regions will require more than an expert adviser. Will the ‘No.10 North’ hub actually get resources and decision-making authority, or remain a symbolic office?
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
