Sanjay Kaul took charge as the new Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) on Monday. He succeeds Tapan Ray, retired IAS officer, who has been leading GIFT City since 2019 and played a key role in its expansion and development.
Who is Sanjay Kaul?
Kaul is a 2001-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. He is currently on central deputation, serving as Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Culture. In this role, he handles key portfolios such as international cultural relations, UNESCO and Intangible Cultural Heritage, libraries and cultural schemes, as well as institutions like The Asiatic Society and the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies.
Kaul brings more than 20 years of experience in public policy, finance, infrastructure, and technology. Before this appointment, he served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
He has also worked as Managing Director of Gujarat Informatics and the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat.
Kaul holds a degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from NIT Surat and a degree in Public Policy from Syracuse University, New York.
Kaul aims to build on GIFT City’s strong foundation
Commenting on his new role, Kaul said, “I look forward to building on the strong foundation laid so far, driving strategic initiatives, forging global partnerships, and delivering a world-class city experience that reinforces GIFT City’s status as a project of national importance.”
GIFT City: India’s first IFSC and smart city
GIFT City, located in Gujarat, is India’s first smart city and International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). It serves as a global financial and IT services hub and is designed to match global business districts.
The city offers benefits such as low operational costs, favourable tax policies, and a thriving business ecosystem. It has become a preferred destination for companies in banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), fintech, international education, and IT/ITeS sectors.
GIFT City has a ‘walk-to-work’ concept and includes office spaces, homes, schools, hospitals, hotels, clubs, and retail centres. The city also features modern infrastructure like a District Cooling System, Automated Waste Collection System, and Utility Tunnel—making it a model for sustainable urban development.