Mr. Jagdish Deepak Saksena
Independent Director
J.S.Deepak is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of 1982 batch of UP cadre. He has an MBA from Indian Institute of Management(IIM), Ahmedabad.
He worked as Ambassador of India to the World Trade Organization (WTO) at Geneva from 2017 to May 2020, leading negotiations in agriculture, manufactured products, services on rules, tariffs and subsidies. He alsoarticulated the Indian position on e-commerce and investment.
Deepak has experience of working as Joint/Additional Secretary Commerce, Government of India (GOI), dealing with trade policy, export promotion of electronics, pharmaceuticals, tea, coffee, spices, agriculture products and services. He has dealt with trade issues and commercial policy matters for almost a decade.He was also the Chief Negotiator of India at the WTO and for RCEP from 2013 to 2015.
Deepak worked as Secretary/Joint Secretary,Telecom, Government of Indiafor more than 3 years.His responsibilities included formulation of telecom policy, regulations and reforms in the sector. Heled various initiatives for improving telecom infrastructure in the country, including the rollout of the national optical fibre network. He designed and conducted the first 3G/4G spectrum auctions in 2010. This pioneering reform brought 3G services to India while fetching a revenue of US$24.5 billion for the government. It also became a model for subsequent telecom, FM radio and coal auctions in India. The first ever sharing, trading and harmonization of telecom spectrum in India also happened on his watch as Secretary Telecom in 2016.
During 2015-16, he worked as Secretary, Department of Electronics & Information Technology (DeitY), responsible for coordinating the Digital India Programme and e-Governance. He also helpeddesign and implement policies for promotion of electronic manufacturing and IT/ITeS services. Enrolment and use of Aadhaar for authentication online was also part of his responsibilities. He also led India’s efforts in the area of Internet Governance.
Deepak has also served as Director General Trade Remedies(DGTR) Chairman & Managing Director of State Trading Corporation (STC) of India and India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO). He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT).He was also Chairman of National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI), CSC e-Governance Services India Limited, National Institute for Smart Government (NISG) and a member of the Central Governing Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) for over 5 years.
In UP, Deepak led the Innovations Project, including as its Executive Director. During his 8 year association, models were developed for involvement of the private sector in reproductive and child health services using non-government organizations, cooperatives and social marketing approaches. He also worked on the development of population policies for a number of states including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. As Secretary Elementary Education, he was instrumental in introducing the mid-day meal scheme in more than a lakh primary schools in UP in 2005. He has been invited to lecture on management, trade, telecom, health and communication at IIMs, National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Indian School of Business, Institute of Corporate Affairs,National Defence Collegeand the Foreign Service Institute.