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DE RUEHNE #1290/01 1731049
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R 221049Z JUN 09
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 001290 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/PCI, OES/STC, OES/SAT, OES/EGC, AND SCA/INS 
STATE FOR STAS 
DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL 
INTERIOR FOR FWS RILEY 
STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV TSPL ECON SOCI IN
 
SUBJECT: NEW INDIAN S&T AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS 
 
REF: NONE 
 
¶1. (SBU) Environment, Science and Technology (EST) issues have taken 
on renewed emphasis in India with the appointment of two key 
Ministers that are well respected, action and results oriented, and 
favorably disposed toward the U.S. 
 
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES 
 
¶2. (SBU) Mr. Prithviraj D. Chavan has been appointed as the Minster 
of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science and 
Technology (MoST), and Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the 
Ministry of Earth Sciences.  It appears that he has taken on 
responsibility for these two new Ministries while also continuing in 
his roles as a Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office 
(PMO), Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and 
Pensions, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Member of the 
Atomic Energy Commission, and Member of the Space Commission.  Born 
17 March 1946 in Maharashtra to politician parents, Mr. Chavan chose 
initially to pursue a career in science.  He graduated with honors 
and a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering from Birla 
Institute of Technology, and earned a Masters degree in Engineering 
from UC Berkeley in 1968.  After about three years working in the US 
aerospace industry, Mr. Chavan returned to India to set up an 
electronic design research and development lab in 1974.  A chance 
encounter with Rajiv Gandhi in 1984 led to his first election in 
Karad, Maharashtra.  During his early tenure in Parliament Mr. 
Chavan worked closely with Manmohan Singh and was, in 2004, selected 
by Prime Minister Singh to be the Minister of State in the Prime 
Minister's Office.  Mr. Chavan is married with two children, one son 
and one daughter. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Mr. Chavan has been an effective spokesperson for Congress, 
and his position in the PMO gives him excellent visibility on all of 
the government's activities.  While PM Singh officially heads the 
Atomic Energy and Space Commissions, ESTOff contacts at India's 
Department of Science and Technology (DST), an organization under 
the MoST, indicated that Mr. Chavan was extremely active in both 
commissions on the PM's behalf and played a key role in shaping 
India's nuclear and space policies - a role they anticipate he will 
continue.  Mr. Chavan is well respected within India's science 
community and is known for being quiet, intense and efficient, 
getting things done, having Prime Minister Singh's ear, and for 
liking good coffee.  During a recent courtesy call, the Charge 
D'Affairs and ESTOff got the impression that Mr. Chavan was ready 
and willing to make decisions, and that he was eager to increase S&T 
cooperation between the U.S. and India.  While overall very happy 
about Mr. Chavan's appointment, ESTOffs' contacts at DST have 
expressed concern about how much time Mr. Chavan will be able to 
devote to science given his multiple ministerial responsibilities, 
and how accessible they will find him since his offices are likely 
to remain in the PMO rather than move to one of the MoST buildings. 
 
 
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS 
¶4. (SBU) Mr. Jairam Ramesh, of the Congress Party, is the new 
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment and Forests 
 
NEW DELHI 00001290  002 OF 002 
 
 
(MOEF).  Formerly the Minister of State for Commerce and Power, he 
has also been a member of the Public Accounts Committee, the 
Standing Committee on Finance and the Committee on Government 
Assurances.  He served as Advisor to the Finance Minister (96-98,) 
Advisor to the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission (92-94,) 
and Advisor to the Prime Minister (1991.) Mr. Ramesh has authored a 
number of key government reports on energy, technology, capital 
goods, industrial policy, and telecom, and was a key player on the 
team that formulated and implemented India's economic reforms in 
¶1991.  Mr. Ramesh is also on the advisory board of a prominent NGO, 
the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), 
although ATREE's president informed ESTOffs Mr. Ramesh has not been 
particularly engaged with ATREE.  Mr. Ramesh studied Public 
Management at Carnegie Mellon University, and Technology Policy at 
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  His undergraduate degree 
is in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of 
Technology, Mumbai.  He has authored the book - Making Sense of 
Chindia - Reflections on China and India - published in April 2005. 
He also wrote an essay in 1999 on US-India relations titled "Yankee 
go home but take me with you."  Mr. Ramesh (DOB: April 9, 1954) is 
married and has two sons.  He is considered to be both sharp and 
articulate and is expected to play a lead role as part of India's 
climate negotiation team in Copenhagen.  An important contact told 
ESTOffs, "Jairam Ramesh was appointed Minister of Environment and 
Forests so that the GOI would have someone who could handle the 
climate change negotiations the way Kamal Nath handled Doha."  Only 
three weeks into his appointment, Mr. Ramesh has already taken 
important policy decisions and we expect him to be very proactive 
and engaged on MOEF issues. 
 
BURLEIGH