# Dhanendra Kumar

Dhanendra Kumar (born 1946) is a civil servant who was the first chair of Competition Commission of India (CCI). Kumar formerly served as executive director at World Bank.

## Biography

Born in 1946, Kumar joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1968. Kumar has served as a secretary to the following ministries:
* Ministry of Defence,
* Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
* Ministry of Culture
Kumar is the founder of the chairman of Competition Advisory Services (India) LLP (COMPAD). During his career, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has constituted a Committee under his chairmanship for framing of National Competition Policy (India) and related matters (formulate amendments in the Act).
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MHUPA) has constituted a Committee under his chairmanship on Streamlining Approval Procedures for Real Estate Projects (SAPREP). Kumar is currently assisting Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (of Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India) as Principal Advisor and Chief Mentor of School of Competition Law – the upcoming National Centre of Excellence.
Kumar is invited regularly by all major business focused media houses and newspapers in India viz. The Economic Times, Business Standard, Mint (newspaper), Businessworld, Hindustan Times, The Financial Express (India), Moneycontrol, CNBC TV18, Deccan Herald, Business Line, Navbharat Times, Hindustan (newspaper), Amar Ujala, The Quint amongst others to author articles and OpEd on business topics of contemporary interest.

## Awards

Kumar was given the National Citizen's Award by Mother Teresa for outstanding contribution in development of Industrial Parks in Haryana. Kumar was also awarded honorary doctorate in recognition of outstanding contribution in public affairs.

## Career

| From | To | Designation | Institution |
| 04/2012 | Present | Chairman | Committee – Streamlining Approval Procedures for Real Estate Projects (SAPREP), Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MHUPA) |
| 06/2011 | Present | Chairman | Committee – National Competition Policy, Ministry of Corporate Affairs |
| 02/2009 | 06/2011 | Chairman | Competition Commission of India |
| 11/2005 | 01/2009 | Executive Director – India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan | The World Bank |
| 08/2005 | 10/2005 | Secretary | Ministry of Defence, Government of India |
| 07/2004 | 07/2005 | Secretary | Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India |
| 10/2002 | 06/2004 | Secretary | Ministry of Culture, Government of India |
| 05/2002 | 10/2002 | Chairman & managing director | Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd. |
| 09/1998 | 05/2002 | Additional Secretary | Ministry of Communications, Government of India |
| 05/1996 | 09/1998 | Financial Commissioner | Government of Haryana |
| 06/1991 | 05/1996 | Principal Secretary to Chief Minister | Government of Haryana |
| 06/1991 | 05/1996 | Chairman | Haryana State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (HSIIDC) |
| 05/1991 | 05/1991 | Joint Secretary | Ministry of Textiles, Government of India |
| 08/1988 | 05/1991 | managing director | Haryana State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (HSIIDC) |
| 05/1986 | 07/1988 | Joint Secretary | Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India |
| 01/1983 | 05/1986 | Resident Director | Indian Investment Centre, London |
| 08/1979 | 01/1983 | Director of Industries | Government of Haryana |
| 06/1978 | 07/1979 | Registrar of Cooperative Societies | Government of Haryana |
| 07/1977 | 06/1978 | Deputy Secretary (Irrigation and Power) | Government of Haryana |
| 10/1976 | 07/1977 | District collector | District of Karnal, Government of Haryana |
| 11/1975 | 10/1976 | District collector | District of Jind, Government of Haryana |
| 08/1973 | 10/1975 | Labour Commissioner | Government of Haryana |
| 04/1969 | 08/1973 | Assistant Commissioner (Ambala) | Government of Haryana |
| 04/1969 | 08/1973 | Sub Divisional Officer–Civil (Hansi) | Government of Haryana |
| 04/1969 | 08/1973 | Additional District collector | Government of Haryana |

## Articles and OpEds in popular press

| Newspaper/Media Group | Title | YYYY/DD | Theme |
| The Economic Times | Bharti's BT Group deal could open doors for the 'real East India Company' to flourish | 2024/08 | Telecom & IT |
| The Economic Times | Developing our skiller instinct | 2024/08 | Indian Economy |
| Business Standard | GST reforms shaping India's economic future | 2024/08 | Indian Economy |
| Business Standard | E-commerce as a major building block for Viksit Bharat@2047 | 2024/07 | Investment |
| Business Standard | Budget 2024: Defining trajectory pathways for Viksit Bharat@2047 | 2024/07 | Investment |
| Amar Ujala | Reform of bankruptcy law is included in the 100 days agenda of Modi government, what is the need for it? | 2024/07 | Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) |
| Business Standard | Impact of Digital Competition Bill on India's homegrown startup ecosystem | 2024/07 | Competition Law |
| Businessworld | Reform Insolvency Law To Expedite Resolutions And Include Cross-Border & Group Insolvencies | 2024/06 | Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) |
| The Economic Times | India's path to developed economy status hinges on natural resource management | 2024/06 | Economy - Natural Resources |
| Hindustan (newspaper) | Some important steps to make India better | 2024/06 | Indian Economy |
| Mint (newspaper) | Modi 3.0: What the PM may focus on for India's transformation into Viksit Bharat | 2024/06 | Indian Economy |
| Businessworld | ESG Assumes Criticality As Delhi & Other Parts Sizzle Above 50 Degree Celsius | 2024/06 | ESG |
| Business Standard | Role of foreign investments in India's thriving startup ecosystem | 2024/05 | Foreign Investment |
| Communication Today | Emerging trends in Indian telecom and Artificial Intelligence | 2024/05 | Telecom & IT |
| The Economic Times | Ignore India at your own peril | 2024/05 | Investment |
| Amar Ujala | Importance of IBC Code and Timely Compliance for Industries in India | 2024/05 | Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) |
| Mint (newspaper) | IBC tale of delay: Speed up insolvency resolution for this reform to shine | 2024/05 | Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) |
| Business Standard | Intellectual property and competition law: Two sides of the same coin | 2024/04 | IPR and Competition Law |
| Mint (newspaper) | Competition penalties going by global turnover call for a rethink | 2024/04 | Competition Law |
| Business Standard | Online gaming can help India's development goals, needs clear regulations | 2024/03 | Online Gaming |
| The Economic Times | Big tech, don't be a big brother | 2024/03 | Competition Law |
| Navbharat Times | What savings can be achieved through rooftop solar scheme | 2024/02 | Energy |
| Business Standard | PM Suryodaya Yojana will help in self-sufficiency in country's energy needs | 2024/02 | Energy |
| The Economic Times | Not Complete without Competition | 2024/02 | Competition Law |
| Amar Ujala | Indispensability of drones for country's security and border surveillance | 2024/02 | Defence Sector |
| Hindustan Times | India’s quest for aatmanirbharta in drones | 2024/01 | Defence Sector |
| Navbharat Times | Rejuvenation of Ayodhya | 2024/01 | Culture |
| Hindustan Times | Single-use technologies in the biopharmaceutical industry | 2024/01 | Pharma |
| India Times | Happy Holidays-Guides For Ease Of Travelling Business | 2024/01 | Travel & Tourism |
| Businessworld | UNESCO Recognises India’s Garba As World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage | 2023/12 | Culture |
| Hindustan Times | Port control is crucial to national security | 2023/12 | Infrastructure & Logistics |
| Business Standard | From local to global: Competition Law gained much traction in 2023 | 2023/12 | Competition Law |
| Storyboard 18 | Self-regulation for safe and accountable online gaming industry | 2023/12 | Online Gaming |
| Mint (newspaper) | Excessive executive pay must be held in check for India Inc’s sake | 2023/12 | Corporate Governance |
| Business Standard | Indian investors need protection from manipulative short-selling practices | 2023/11 | Investment |
| Business Standard | Tax conundrum in online gaming landscape: All eyes on the apex court | 2023/11 | Online Gaming |
| The Financial Express (India) | Safeguarding India’s maritime interests | 2023/11 | Infrastructure & Logistics |
| Businessworld | SEBI’s Roles as Guardian of Investors, Environment, Sustainability | 2023/11 | Investment |
| Navbharat Times | There will be benefit from increasing the scope of DMAT | 2023/11 | Investment |
| Business Standard | AI and antitrust: Balancing innovation with competition | 2023/10 | Competition Law |
| Hindustan Times | Ports hold the key to growth, employment | 2023/10 | Infrastructure & Logistics |
| Mint (newspaper) | Online gaming taxation, Look for a practical way out | 2023/10 | Online Gaming |
| Communication Today | Regulation of OTT platforms in India | 2023/10 | Digital Media |
| Navbharat Times | Garba can be included in UNESCO Heritage | 2023/10 | Culture |
| The Economic Times | BRICS: The mortar of competition in a globalised world | 2023/10 | Competition Law |
| The Financial Express (India) | Only pros for mandatory demat | 2023/10 | Investment |
| Hindustan Times | Unlocking India’s tourism potential | 2023/09 | Travel & Tourism |
| Navbharat Times | SEBI's new rules come to save investors | 2023/09 | Investment |
| The Economic Times | M&As in the time of digital economy | 2023/09 | Merger & Acquisition |
| Businessworld | Protect Indian Investors | 2023/09 | Investment |
| Moneycontrol | Strategise on ways to mop up domestic sources with foreign funds drying up for startups | 2023/09 | Start-up India |
| Business Standard | G20 Summit will boost India's travel and tourism industry | 2023/09 | Travel & Tourism |
| Navbharat Times | Common man's dreams get new fly | 2023/09 | Civil Aviation |
| Businessworld | Role Of General Counsels In Competition Compliance | 2023/08 | Competition Law, GC |
| The Economic Times | A competitive aviation sector is truly giving wings to India's rapidly growing economy | 2023/08 | Civil Aviation |
| CNBC TV18 | Online Gaming-here's how the new taxation effectively cascades from 28% to over 50% | 2023/08 | Online Gaming |
| Navbharat Times | How will customers become king in the power sector? | 2023/07 | Power |
| The Economic Times | India has become the most sought-after investment destination for Singapore | 2023/07 | Investment |
| Hindustan Times | EV adoption guidelines must be more practical | 2023/07 | Road Transport |
| The Financial Express (India) | Empowering the power sector | 2023/07 | Power |
| Navbharat Times | Will the Vaccine give victory over Diabetes | 2023/07 | Healthcare |
| Businessworld | Role of General Counsels in Competition Compliance | 2023/07 | Competition Law, GC |
| The Economic Times | If You’re a Platform, Pay | 2023/07 | Digital Media, Competition Law |
| The Financial Express (India) | Online gaming: guardrails for sustainable growth | 2023/07 | Online Gaming |
| Hindustan Times | Developed India needs an efficient bus system | 2023/07 | Public Transport |
| Navbharat Times | What did the defense sector get from Modi's US visit? | 2023/07 | Defence Sector |
| Business Standard | Diabetes a pandemic, needs vaccines, efficacious medication for contro | 2023/07 | Healthcare |
| Mint (newspaper) | The country is ready for a major bulk-up of its defence armory | 2023/06 | Defence Sector |
| Communication Today | Telecom, IT, and Internet revolution in India | 2023/06 | Telecom & IT |
| Business Standard | 14 years of Competition Commission: Young regulator faces new challenges | 2023/05 | Competition Day 20 May |
| Business Standard | Entry of foreign law firms in India: A move that may change the landscape | 2023/04 | Opening Indian Legal Services to Foreign Law Firms |
| The Financial Express (India) | The global banking crisis and Yes Bank | 2023/04 | Banking & Financial System |
| The Economic Times | Foreign trade, a new pathway | 2023/04 | E-commerce |
| Business Standard | Historic changes coming in law with Parliament's nod to Competition Bill | 2023/04 | Competition Law |
| Businessworld | E-Commerce: Don't Over-Regulate But Let It Expand Consumers' Choice | 2023/03 | E-Commerce |
| Businessworld | Country is on a High Growth Trajectory despite Global Headwinds | 2023/02 | Indian Economy |
| ASSOCHAM CRA E-Bulletin | Leader's Insight: Interview of Mr Dhanendra Kumar with ASSOCHAM | 2023/01 | Competition Law |
| Business Standard | How bike taxis can ease urban mobility woes and boost the economy | 2023/01 | Mobility & Environment |
| Deccan Herald | With right policy, bike taxis can ease urban mobility | 2023/01 | Mobility & Environment |
| The Financial Express (India) | Don’t need a Big Tech Competition Law | 2023/01 | Digital India |
| The Hindu Businessline | Digital markets. Why a new law against Big Tech? | 2023/01 | Digital India |
| The Financial Express (India) | Looking back at Competition Law in 2022 | 2022/12 | Competition Law |
| The Financial Express (India) | No settlement route for cartels | 2022/12 | Competition Law |
| Navbharat Times | To economy, how much speed will give bike-taxis? | 2022/12 | Mobility & Environment |
| Business Standard | G20 presidency gives India opportunity to showcase its ed-tech leadership | 2022/12 | Digital India |
| The Economic Times | Yamuna river pollution: Remove froth in surfactant sector | 2022/10 | Surfactant |
| Navbharat Times | Its time to say bye-bye paper notes | 2022/10 | Banking & Financial System |
| The Economic Times | We should count polymer notes | 2022/09 | Banking & Financial System |
| The Economic Times | Tweaking incentives for promoting exports of apparels and garments from India | 2022/09 | Textiles |
| The Hindu Businessline | Why India’s online gaming industry desperately needs a regulatory architecture | 2022/07 | Online Gaming |
| The Financial Express (India) | Law & order in corporate governance | 2022/06 | Corporate Governance, GC |
| Business Line | Rationalise FDI approvals under PN3 | 2022/06 | Ease of Doing Business in FDI |
| The Economic Times | The world is looking at India to show the way in EdTech | 2022/06 | Start-up India |
| Indian Business Law Journal | Don’t ignore CCI’s teeth | 2022/05 | Competition Law |
| The Financial Express (India) | The challenges ahead for the Competition Commission of India | 2022/05 | Competition Law |
| The Financial Express (India) | The Buddha connect | 2022/05 | International Relations |
| The Times of India | India’s upcoming foreign trade policy need laser focus on logistics sector and e-commerce | 2022/03 | Indian Economy |
| Competition Policy International | Competition policy and start-ups in India | 2022/03 | Competition Law |
| The Economic Times | How India can use Covid as an opportunity to build logistics sector better | 2022/01 | Infrastructure & Logistics |
| Mint (newspaper) | Amplify e-commerce and help all MSMEs reach markets online | 2022/01 | Start-up India |
| The Financial Express (India) | What 2021 held for Indian competition law | (2021/12) | Competition Law |
| Business Standard | Here's how India's gig economy and its $5-trn goal by 2025 are connected | (2021/12) | Digital India |
| The Economic Times | View: Can big data be used as a factor to assess 'non-price competition' in the online medium? | (2021/11) | Competition Law |
| The Financial Express (India) | Bridging learning divide outcomes in online education | (2021/11) | Digital India |
| Moneycontrol | India is well-placed in the unicorn race | (2021/11) | Start-up India |
| The Economic Times | View: It is time for BSNL to go down the privatisation path, just like Air India | (2021/10) | Infrastructure & Telecom |
| Business Line | Allow e-commerce sector in India to flourish | (2021/10) | E-commerce |
| The Economic Times | Will the new telecom relief package help the ailing industry? A former bureaucrat decodes | (2021/09) | Infrastructure & Telecom |
| The Economic Times | Why India's ailing telecom sector needs 1999-style bold reforms | (2021/09) | Infrastructure & Telecom |
| The Quint | AGR Dues & Retrospective Tax: Moving on From Flawed Decisions | (2021/09) | Infrastructure, Telecom & Taxation |
| Business Line | Enforcing contracts key to ‘ease of business’ | (2021/09) | Ease of Doing Business |
| The Economic Times | View: Reduce the regulatory cholesterol in e-commerce. The draft rules increase it | (2021/07) | Regulatory Reforms in E-commerce |
| The Financial Express (India) | A behind the curtain look at CCI’s analysis of M&A | (2021/07) | Competition Law |
| The Financial Express (India) | A world-class merger control regime | (2021/06) | Competition Law |
| The Financial Express (India) | Covid-19 – an inflexion point for e-commerce | (2021/06) | E-commerce & Regulatory reforms |
| The Financial Express (India) | E-commerce policy: Needed for speedy, inclusive growth | (2021/04) | E-commerce & Regulatory reforms |
| The Times of India | The fight against Covid is an all-out war. Government must deploy resources and engage the private sector accordingly | (2021/04) | Private Sector Development |
| Raksha Anirveda | MSME’s Start-ups crucial for Atmanirbharta in Defence | (2021/04) | Developing MSMEs for Indian Defence |
| The Financial Express (India) | Bring The Destination Home: Meetings & social events are scheduled on online platforms, so why not travel? | (2021/03) | Travel Infrastructure |
| The Times of India | WhatsApp must be investigated on whether it is fiddling with private data to distort market competition | (2021/03) | Competition Law & Data Regulation |
| Mint (newspaper) | An antitrust probe to safeguard the rights of our WhatsApp users | (2021/03) | Competition Law & Data Regulation |
| The Indian Express | Time for a defence unicorn | (2021/02) | Developing unicorns in defence |
| The Indian Express | How to make unicorns and stop the startup drain | (2021/02) | Start-up India & Regulatory reforms |
| CPI | Reshaping the Contours of Combination Threshold through the 2020 Draft Competition Amendment Bill – Meeting the Need with Digital Merger Control in India? | (2021/02) | Reforms in Competition Law |
| The Financial Express (India) | Battling Covid-19 with digital armour | (2021/01) | Digital India |
| The Financial Express (India) | Budget FY22: Budgeting for atmanirbhar growth | (2021/01) | Indian Economy |
| National Law School of India University | Chilling competition? Trade associations & the Indian Competition Regime | (2020/10) | Competition Law & Trade Associations |
| The Financial Express (India) | MSMEs: Digitise and modernise to thrive | (2020/07) | Digital India & MSMEs |
| The Financial Express (India) | Beyond India’s Coronavirus Unlock 1.0: An age of innovation | (2020/06) | Digital India & Need of Innovation |
| The Financial Express (India) | Covid-19 crisis for startups: Innovating to survive, and then thrive | (2020/05) | Need of innovations in startups |
| The Financial Express (India) | After lockdown, phased reopening: Authorities should proactively work to restart industry and businesses | (2020/05) | Indian Economy-measure to accelerate |
| Vivekananda International Foundation | Development of Infrastructure in India – The Vehicle for Developing Indian Economy | (2017/04) | Infrastructure development in India |
| The Indian Express | Regulating lightly - The digital economy calls for a new kind of oversight | (2016/12) | Digital India & Regulations |
| Business Line | Let them rock | (2015/08) | Digital India & startups |
| The Financial Express (India) | Competition policy crucial for Narendra Modi's 3S mantra | (2014/07) | Competition Law & Policy |
| Rail India Technical and Economic Service Journal | World Economic Outlook – Growth Strategies of Developing Countries and the Case of India | (2014/07) | Indian Economy- infrastructure for accelerating economy |
| The Financial Express (India) | CCIs realty test | (2014/06) | Competition Law |
| The Financial Express (India) | Taming the TAM | (2013/07) | Competition Law |
| The Financial Express (India) | Budget and the internet economy | (2013/03) | Indian Economy & internet |
| Rail India Technical and Economic Service Journal | Global Economic Resurgence: Hopes for Developing Economies | (2013/07) | Developing Economies & infrastructure |
| Rail India Technical and Economic Service Journal | Competition: Unlocking India’s Economic Growth Potential | (2011/07) | Competition for accelerating Indian Economy |
| Rail India Technical and Economic Service Journal | Competition and Road Transport Sector | (2010/07) | Indian economy & road transport |