NV
Civil Servant

N. Vittal

Born 31 January 1938 · verify — Died 4 August 2023

Serving as Central Vigilance Commissioner and strengthening anti-corruption mechanisms in India.

Nagarajan Vittal was an Indian civil servant majorly known for his work as central vigilance commissioner in the Government of India. He worked at positions at the state and central government level, primarily in the fields of industrial administration, science and technology, and security, as well as posts within public-private sector joint enterprises. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award, in 2012.

✨

A detail that
surprised us

“

In 1993, he was named Dataquest IT Man of the Year for his pioneering role in establishing India's software technology parks and attracting foreign tech investment.

The Story

1
In 1960, Nagarajan Vittal joined the Indian Administrative Service under the Gujarat cadre, emerging from Loyola College, Madras with a BSc in Chemistry and a brief stint as a lecturer in Tiruchirapalli.
2
🌟 As Development Commissioner, he played a pivotal role in reviving the Kandla Special Economic Zone, transforming it into a key trade hub that reshaped Gujarat's export landscape.
3In the early 1990s, as Secretary of the Department of Electronics, Vittal launched policies that established software technology parks, attracting FDI from giants like IBM and Motorola, setting the stage for India's IT boom.
4📡 As Chairman of the Telecom Commission in 1994, he was instrumental in drafting the National Telecom Policy that initiated sector liberalization, a foundation for the telecom revolution in India.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

Nagarajan Vittal was born in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, yet was allocated the Gujarat cadre in the IAS in 1960, marking a cross-regional administrative career rarely seen at that time.

📸 Through the Years

📷

No photos yet

Help preserve history — add a photo of this icon

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Nagarajan Vittal was born into a Maharashtrian Deshastha Madhwa Brahmin family in the capital of Kerala.
1938
📚
Education
Graduated from Loyola College, Madras
Completed BSc (Hons.) in Chemistry before joining as a lecturer at Jamal Mohamed College, Tiruchirapalli.
1958
⚡
Career
Joined Indian Administrative Service
Allocated to Gujarat cadre, beginning a four-decade career in public administration.
1960
⚡
Career
Chaired Telecom Commission
Led liberalization efforts culminating in the National Telecom Policy, opening the sector to private players.
1994
⚡
Career
Headed Public Enterprises Selection Board
Initiated removal of 696 regulations restricting public sector autonomy under Ministry of Industry.
1997
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
Received India’s third highest civilian award recognizing his decades of public service.
2012
🕊️
Death
Passed away
Nagarajan Vittal died, closing a career that spanned industrial, technological, and governance reforms.
2023
More moments to come...
+ Add a moment

🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

He initiated the revival of the Kandla Free Trade Zone, which included opening the Dahej Port, a critical infrastructure project that boosted Gujarat’s trade capacity in the 1970s and 1980s.

02 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

Under his tenure at the Department of Electronics, foreign direct investment from IBM and Motorola was strategically secured in the early 1990s, a rare move that helped globalize India's IT sector.

03 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

He removed 696 regulations restricting public sector enterprises, a massive deregulation effort that transformed the autonomy of government-run companies in the late 1990s.

No quote recorded for N. Vittal yet.

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
IN CONVERSATION- N VITTAL
·YouTube

🌱 What changed because of them

Vittal's reforms in Gujarat set benchmarks in industrial promotion with the single window service, accelerating regional economic development. His telecom policy leadership catalyzed sector liberalization, directly contributing to India's rapid telecom expansion. By cutting red tape in public enterprises, he enhanced governance transparency and operational autonomy across numerous government companies.

💬 Social Buzz

💬

What are people saying about N. Vittal?

Share posts from historians, journalists and notable voices about this icon. 🇮🇳

💭 Memories & Tributes

Share your memory of N. Vittal...
Loading memories...
Is this profile accurate?