The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Thursday approved the appointment of retired IAS officer Shakti Sinha to the post of director, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, putting to rest the controversy following the inclusion of his name to the post.
Mr. Sinha’s candidature had not only prompted the resignation of Executive Council Member Pratap Bhanu Mehta, it led to a very public questioning of the credentials of Mr. Sinha, particularly, his suitability to the post. Another member Mr. Nitin Desai, an economist and former under secretary general of the UN, too had spoken against the shortlisting of Mr. Sinha’s name.
Mr. Mehta, in a letter last month, highlighted the marginalisation of academic credentials in the selection process of candidates to the director’s post. Mr. Mehta was one of the members on the selection committee set up to recommend names to the post of director.
The NMML has been without a director since the resignation of its previous director Mahesh Rangarajan in September, after Culture Minister had questioned the manner of his appointment by the UPA Government.
Mr. Sinha who has served in the PMO during Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, was also director in India Foundation, a think tank aligned to the RSS.
