President of the Society for Culture and Environment and Director of the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival, from the IAS, he has been Secretary Government of India and before that Chairman National Highways Authority of India. He has written extensively on management and infrastructure issues. He is the author of the novels: Scent of a Game (Rupa), Kali's Daughter (forthcoming, Pan Macmillan) and has edited the book: Eternal Wisdom of the Tribes. He is on the Managing Committee of the Delhi Golf Club and writes a column for Businessworld magazine. He has Masters degrees from Delhi University and Harvard University, USA.