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{{Short description|Indian civil servant}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Gautam Sanyal
|image = Gautam Sanyal - Principal Secretary CSS.png
|imagesize = 100px
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|office =
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|birth_date = 14 October 1951
|nationality = Indian
|alma_mater =
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}}

'''Gautam Sanyal''' is an Indian career civil servant who currently serves as [[Principal Secretary (India)|Principal Secretary]] to [[Government of West Bengal]], since June 2015.<ref name="Appointment Sanyal">{{cite web|title=Appointment of Gautam Sanyal as Principal Secretary: Government of West Bengal|url=http://wbpar.gov.in/writereaddata/988-PAR(IAS)_b.pdf|work=[[Government of West Bengal]]|access-date=8 July 2015}}</ref><ref name="Principal Secretary Sanyal">{{cite web|title=Unfulfilled once, sealed now - CM's aide is elevated as Principal Secretary|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150627/jsp/frontpage/story_28183.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627091520/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150627/jsp/frontpage/story_28183.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 June 2015|work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta)]]|access-date=5 July 2015}}</ref><ref name="Principal PS GS">{{cite news|title=Row over retired officer's promotion|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Row-over-retired-officers-promotion/articleshow/47848369.cms?|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=28 June 2015 |access-date=5 July 2015}}</ref> In June 2016, he was re-appointed<ref name="Re Appointment Sanyal 2016">{{cite web|title=Re-employment of Shri Goutam Sanyal as Principal Secretary to Hon'ble Chief Minister (Archived)|url=http://www.wbpar.gov.in/writereaddata/829_b.pdf|work=[[Government of West Bengal]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805103121/http://www.wbpar.gov.in/writereaddata/829_b.pdf|access-date=13 July 2016|archive-date=5 August 2020}}</ref> as Principal Secretary and his tenure co-terminus with that of [[Chief Minister of West Bengal]].<ref name="Re Appointment Sanyal 2016"/><ref name="WB 2016 Appointments">{{cite web|title=Sovan lines up his team|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160601/jsp/bengal/story_88726.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601132351/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160601/jsp/bengal/story_88726.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 June 2016|work=[[The Telegraph (Calcutta) ]]|access-date=13 July 2016}}</ref>

He previously served as Secretary to Chief Minister of West Bengal from 2011 to 2015.<ref name="WB Home">{{cite web |title=Archive: Contact Numbers of Officers of Home Department (WB) |url=http://wb.gov.in/portal/wbhome/cms/HOMECMSPortletWindow;jsessionid=ED77A6BC9F129766479AA5FFB53A8C62.node1?alf_f_name=key_officials_contact.txt&action=e&windowstate=normal&alf_path=WebContent%2Fhomepagelinks%2Fimplinks&mode=view |work=[[Ministry of Home Affairs (West Bengal)|Ministry of Home Affairs]] |access-date=19 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140618190655/http://wb.gov.in/portal/wbhome/cms/HOMECMSPortletWindow%3Bjsessionid%3DED77A6BC9F129766479AA5FFB53A8C62.node1?alf_f_name=key_officials_contact.txt&action=e&windowstate=normal&alf_path=WebContent%2Fhomepagelinks%2Fimplinks&mode=view |archive-date=18 June 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="Sanyal CMO Secretary">{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/PDATOI/articleshow/10504166.cms |title=West Bengal CMO to be headed by retired officer Gautam Sanyal |access-date=17 January 2012 |last= |first= |author2= |date= 27 October 2011|work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref name="Sanyal Secretary">{{cite web |url=http://post.jagran.com/mamata-reinducting-retired-officials-to-guide-wb-on-path-of-progress-1311220133 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062206/http://post.jagran.com/mamata-reinducting-retired-officials-to-guide-wb-on-path-of-progress-1311220133 |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 March 2016 |title=West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appoints Gautam Sanyal as Secretary |access-date=17 January 2012 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |publisher=Jagran Post Newspaper}}</ref> He also previously served as [[Joint Secretary to Government of India]]. He is a 1976 batch [[Central Secretariat Service]] [[Civil Services of India|officer]].<ref name="Civil List 2010 CSS">{{cite web |url=http://persmin.gov.in/DOPT/CSWing/CSDivision/CSS/css_civillist/civil_list_css_2010.pdf |title=Year 2010 Civil List of Group A officers of CSS |access-date=9 February 2012 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |publisher=[[Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (India)|Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions]], Government of India}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Sanyal has a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in political science from [[Ashutosh College]], a Masters in Sociology from [[Delhi University]] in 1997, and later earned a [[Master of Business Administration]] from [[United Kingdom]].{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}

==Career==
{{multiple image
| total_width = 500
| image1 = The Union Minister for Railways, Kumari Mamata Banerjee interacting with the media persons after presentation of Railway Budget 2011-12, in New Delhi on February 25, 2011.jpg
| alt1 = Budhhadeb Banerjee interacting with the media persons after presentation of Railway Budget 2011-12, in New Delhi
| image2 = The Union Minister of Railways, Mamata Banerjee giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget 2011-12, in New Delhi on February 24, 2011.jpg
| alt2 = Mamata Banerjee giving finishing touches to the Railway Budget 2011-12, in New Delhi
| footer = [[Mamata Banerjee]] seen here with Chairman and members of Railway Board, Gautam Sanyal (right) and also seen interacting with the media persons after the presentation of Railway Budget 2011-12.
}}
===West Bengal===
Sanyal initially joined the [[West Bengal Revenue Service|West Bengal Subordinate Commercial Tax Service]] as an Assistant Commercial Tax Officer in 1973.
===Government of India===
Sanyal joined the [[Central Secretariat Service]] in 1976<ref name="Civil List 2010 CSS"/> after qualifying through the [[Civil Services Examination]]. He served as Under Secretary to [[Government of India]] in the [[Ministry of Education (India)|Ministry of Human Resource Development]] in 1990 and later as Deputy Secretary to Government of India in the [[Ministry of Railways (India)|Ministry of Railways]] in 1998.

He was later empanelled as [[Joint Secretary to Government of India]] in June 2009 by the [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (India)|Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]] and served in the [[Ministry of Food Processing Industries (India)|Ministry of Food Processing Industries]].<ref name="Core Team Mamata">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/Sectors/In-Mamata-absence-team-kept-on-the-job/Article1-428356.aspx|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125092744/http://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/Sectors/In-Mamata-absence-team-kept-on-the-job/Article1-428356.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 January 2013|title=In Mamata absence, core team of bureaucrats kept on the job|access-date=7 March 2012|last=Jha|first=Srinand|publisher=[[Hindustan Times]]}}</ref> He was also the board member of the [[Food Safety and Standards Authority of India]].<ref name="Sanyal Board">{{cite web|title=Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)|url=http://supremecourtcaselaw.com/Food_Safety_Standards_Authority_of_India_(FSSAI).htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930110955/http://supremecourtcaselaw.com/Food_Safety_Standards_Authority_of_India_(FSSAI).htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=30 September 2009|work=SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CASELAW|access-date=18 June 2014}}</ref><ref name="Sanyal FSSAI">{{cite web|title=FSSAI gets a new CEO, 7 ex-officio members|url=http://www.fnbnews.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=25301&sectionid=38|work=Food & Beverage News|access-date=18 June 2014}}</ref>

He later served as [[Officer on Special Duty (India)|Officer on Special Duty]]<ref name="Core Team Mamata"/> to [[Minister of Railways (India)|Union Cabinet Minister of Railways]] from 2009 to 2011. He retired in 2011.

After retirement from the Central Government, he was appointed as Secretary to the Chief Minister of West Bengal. His appointment and tenure to the post was made co-terminous with that of the Chief Minister.<ref name="Sanyal Bengal">{{cite web |url=http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=400668&catid=42 |title=Food minister wants extension for dept secy|access-date=26 October 2012 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |publisher=[[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]]}}</ref>

==Recognition==
He is the first non [[Indian Administrative Service]] officer<ref name="Sanyal footsteps">{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/election-news/in-mayas-footsteps/880243|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126041007/http://www.indianexpress.com/election-news/in-mayas-footsteps/880243|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 January 2013|title=In Mayawati's footsteps|access-date=21 January 2012|publisher=[[The Indian Express]]}}</ref><ref name="Loop government">{{cite web|url=http://www.asianage.com/columnists/caught-loop-047|title=Caught in the loop|access-date=9 February 2012|publisher=[[Asian Age]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206124246/http://www.asianage.com/columnists/caught-loop-047|archive-date=6 December 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> in West Bengal and the first retired civil servant<ref name="Sanyal tenure CMO">{{cite web |url=http://202.144.14.20/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&show=archive&id=388572&catid=35&year=2011&month=11&day=2&Itemid=66 |title=West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee man in perpetuity! |access-date=21 January 2012 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |publisher=[[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121128225744/http://202.144.14.20/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&show=archive&id=388572&catid=35&year=2011&month=11&day=2&Itemid=66 |archive-date=28 November 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> to hold the position of Secretary in the Chief Ministers Office. He also became the first non IAS officer in history to hold the position of [[Principal Secretary (India)|Principal Secretary]] in [[State governments of India]].<ref name="Lobby IAS">{{cite web |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/IAS-Lobby-Frets-Over-Eroding-Monopoly/2015/08/09/article2964488.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150811213626/http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/IAS-Lobby-Frets-Over-Eroding-Monopoly/2015/08/09/article2964488.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2015 |title=IAS Lobby Frets Over Eroding Monopoly|access-date=14 August 2015 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |publisher=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref><ref name="DOPT">{{cite web |url=http://www.bureaucracytoday.com/latestnews.aspx?id=120276 |title=DoPT rejects IAS Association plea|access-date=14 August 2015 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |publisher=Bureaucracy Today}}</ref>

In 2011, a news blog declared him as the new poster boy of India's civil services.<ref name="Gautam Mamta Pulok">{{cite web|title=Gautam Sanyal is Mamata's Pulok; shows how a CSS officer can upset IAS power|url=http://www.babusofindia.com/2011/10/gautam-sanyal-is-mamatas-pulok-shows.html|publisher=Babus of India|access-date=23 September 2014}}</ref> [[The Indian Express]] and [[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]] rate him as top state bureaucrat in India<ref name="2013 Powerful Indians"/><ref name="Indians 2013"/> in the article most powerful Indians for the year 2013.<ref name="2013 Powerful Indians">{{cite web|title=The most powerful Indians in 2013: Top Public Figures|date=23 April 2013 |url=http://m.indianexpress.com/news/the-most-powerful-indians-in-2013-top-public-figures/1106108/|publisher=[[The Indian Express]]|access-date=12 June 2013}}</ref><ref name="Indians 2013">{{cite web|title=The most powerful Indians in 2013: Top Public Figures|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/the-most-powerful-indians-in-2013-top-public-figures/1106108/0|publisher=[[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]]|access-date=12 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924041147/http://www.financialexpress.com/news/the-most-powerful-indians-in-2013-top-public-figures/1106108/0|archive-date=24 September 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Many media articles consider him to the most powerful civil servant in the state in India<ref name="Dilli">{{cite web|title=Dilli Ka Babu|url=https://afternoondc.in/nation/dilli-ka-babu/article_81830|publisher=[[Afternoon (newspaper)|Afternoon]]|access-date=12 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130620213725/https://afternoondc.in/nation/dilli-ka-babu/article_81830|archive-date=20 June 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Delhi power">{{cite web|title=No love lost|url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130414/commentary-op-ed/commentary/no-love-lost|publisher=[[Deccan Chronicle]]|access-date=12 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525080557/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130414/commentary-op-ed/commentary/no-love-lost|archive-date=25 May 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and the "most important officer" in the [[Government of West Bengal]].<ref name="West Bengal panel">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/government-and-policy/article3595195.ece|title=West Bengal forms 11-member panel to check price rise|access-date=21 January 2012|publisher=[[Business Line]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120704125737/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/government-and-policy/article3595195.ece|archive-date=4 July 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Sanyal retired head">{{cite web |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-27/kolkata/30327940_1_ias-officer-chief-secretary-principal-secretary |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111031085734/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-27/kolkata/30327940_1_ias-officer-chief-secretary-principal-secretary |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 October 2011 |title=CMO to be headed by retired officer|access-date=21 January 2012 |last= |first= |author2= |date= |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref name="West Bengal">{{cite web |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/she-stops-to-conquer/925068/0 |title=She stops to conquer|access-date=19 October 2012 |last=Nagchoudhury |first=Subrata |date= 18 March 2012|publisher=[[The Indian Express]]}}</ref><ref name="West Bengal bureaucracy">{{cite web |url=https://gfilesmagazine.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html |title=Mamata vs Babus: West Bengal Bureaucracy|access-date=21 January 2012 |last=Raychaudhuri |first=Diptendra |date= |publisher=gfiles Magazine}}</ref>

In 2015, [[Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions]] (DOPT) of Government of India rejected petition filed by the IAS association against the appointment of Gautam Sanyal as the Principal Secretary.<ref name="IAS fret monopoly">{{cite web|title=IAS Lobby Frets Over Eroding Monopoly|date=9 August 2015 |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2015/aug/09/ias-lobby-frets-over-eroding-monopoly-797006.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605102008/https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2015/aug/09/IAS-Lobby-Frets-Over-Eroding-Monopoly-797006.html|url-status=live|archive-date=5 June 2020|publisher=[[The New Indian Express]]|access-date=5 June 2020}}</ref> In 2018, [[India Today]] listed Sanyal in top 10 hidden corridor power in India.<ref name="Top 10 Power India">{{cite web|title=Official Top 10: Hidden power|date=19 April 2018 |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20180430-indian-bureaucracy-india-top-bureaucrats-powerful-ajit-doval-amitabh-kant-1216644-2018-04-19|publisher=[[India Today]]|access-date=18 June 2018}}</ref>

==Issues==
In 2013, media articles reported that [[Central Bureau of Investigation|CBI director]] [[Ranjit Sinha]] had placed Sanyal on his hit-list.<ref name="Gautam List">{{cite web|title=Mamata's men on CBI hit-list|url=http://www.sunday-guardian.com/buzzword/mamatas-men-on-cbi-hit-list|publisher=[[The Sunday Guardian]]|access-date=23 September 2014}}</ref><ref name="Sanyal CBI bay">{{cite web|title=Saradha: The Cookie Can Crumble Thus|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/printarticle.aspx?285479|publisher=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook (magazine)]]|access-date=23 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924044949/http://www.outlookindia.com/printarticle.aspx?285479|archive-date=24 September 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Mamata Tenure">{{cite web|title=Mamata Banerjee's tenure as railway minister under CBI scanner|date=12 May 2013 |url=http://gulfnews.com/news/world/india/mamata-banerjee-s-tenure-as-railway-minister-under-cbi-scanner-1.1182400|publisher=[[Gulf News]]|access-date=23 September 2014}}</ref> In 2019, media reported that Sanyal is in the process of investigation by [[Enforcement Directorate]] in connection with the disinvestment of a state government company in [[West Bengal]].<ref name="Probe ED">{{cite web|title=Not just Rajeev Kumar, 3 more top IAS and IPS officers close to Mamata are being probed|date=27 August 2019 |url=https://theprint.in/india/governance/not-just-rajeev-kumar-3-more-top-ias-and-ips-officers-close-to-mamata-are-being-probed/281308/|publisher=The Print|access-date=27 September 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{portal|Biography|India}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180617215111/http://rcwb.in/rcwb/about-us/list-of-departmental-secretaries-west-bengal/ Departmental Secretaries (Archived)] ''Official Government of West Bengal'' (2018)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190523101330/http://wbpar.gov.in/writereaddata/988-PAR(IAS)_b.pdf Appointment to Government (Archived)] ''Official Government of West Bengal, Personnel and Administrative Reforms'' (2015)
* [https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2015/aug/09/ias-lobby-frets-over-eroding-monopoly-797006.html IAS Lobby Frets Over Eroding Monopoly] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605102008/https://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/2015/aug/09/IAS-Lobby-Frets-Over-Eroding-Monopoly-797006.html |date=2020-06-05}} ''The New Indian Express'' (2015)
* {{cite web
|url=http://alpha.newsx.com/story/super-cmo-be-real-power-centre-wb
|title=Super CMO: Power Center in West Bengal
|publisher=NewsX
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120117150432/http://alpha.newsx.com/story/super-cmo-be-real-power-centre-wb
|archive-date=17 January 2012
|url-status=dead
|df=dmy
}}
* {{cite news
|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/PDATOI/articleshow/8497849.cms
|title=Trusted officials on the list: CM Mamta Banerjee
|work=The Times of India
|date=22 May 2011
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424052130/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/PDATOI/articleshow/8497849.cms
|archive-date=24 April 2024
|url-status=live
|df=dmy
}}
* [http://www.thesundayindian.com/en/story/mamata-ropes-in-officials-from-railway-ministry/29069/ Mamata ropes in officials from Railway Ministry]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* {{cite web
|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_mamata-wants-to-run-rlys-from-kolkata_1258987
|title=Mamata wants to run Railways from Kolkata
|publisher=Daily News and Analysis (DNA)
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130121141056/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_mamata-wants-to-run-rlys-from-kolkata_1258987
|archive-date=21 January 2013
|url-status=dead
|df=dmy
}}
* [http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=377406&catid=35 Civil Servants scramble to keep up with workaholic Chief Minister]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120305023613/http://www.qcin.org/archives/foodsaftylaunch/index.htm The list of Presentations of the Proceedings of Food Safety And Quality Year 2008–09]

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{{s-ttl|title=[[Indian order of precedence|Order of Precedence of India]]<br><small>''as Joint Secretary to Government of India''</small>|years=2009 to 2011}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanyal, Gautam}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Bengali people]]
[[Category:People from West Bengal]]
[[Category:Asutosh College alumni]]
[[Category:Delhi University alumni]]
[[Category:Indian civil servants]]
[[Category:Indian government officials]]
[[Category:Central Secretariat Service officers]]

Gautam Sanyal - Revision history

Best time to visit kashmir at 04:23, 5 February 2026