Ashish is a career diplomat of India with over 16 years of experience in the Indian Foreign Service. Before taking over this position about two years ago, he served as a Counsellor in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York for three years. Since joining the Indian Foreign Service in 2005, he had the opportunity to serve in the Embassies of India in Spain and Nepal at senior diplomatic positions. He also served in the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi as the Desk Officer for India’s relations with its neighbour Pakistan and as Under Secretary in the office of External Affairs Minister. He speaks Spanish in addition to English and Hindi. Married to his childhood love Smrity, he is blessed with two children, daughter Swasti and son Devarsh.
Linkedin ID – https://in.linkedin.com/in/ashish-sinha-69033b6
Twitter ID- https://twitter.com/ashishifs?lang=en
1. How has been your journey from IIFM to this role?
The two decades journey, from my twenties to my forties now, has been diverse and rich. I joined BASIX after passing out from IIFM, a job I got through the campus placement. Joining BASIX was purely a career choice, only to be discovered soon that it resonated well with my passion as well. While working in BASIX in Bihar (integrated with Jharkhand then) and heading its unit in Ranchi, some incidents encouraged me to think of Civil Service as a career. I joined Foreign Service in 2005.
2. What were some of the key milestones/learning in this journey that you would like to share with us?
Knowing and working with Mr. Vijay Mahajan (we called him VM) the then MD of BASIX was very challenging but was both very exciting and soothing at the same time. BASIX’s operation was limited in Telangana and some districts of Karnataka in the year 2000. In our discussions, VM would always discount BASIX’s success, (and success of the approach of livelihood promotion through Microfinance) saying that he would consider it successful if it works in relatively underdeveloped places like Bihar. I used to challenge him that Biharis are as industrious and creditworthy as anyone else, and BASIX’s model would work there. While I was recruited for Maharashtra, during one of the dinners VM announced that I was being sent to Bihar. All by myself, I began my assignment in Bihar by reviving a sick community financial institution called ASSEFA. ASSEFA was established by Binova Bhave and his disciples following his Bhoodan Movement which had resulted in a donation of barren and wasteland to the landless community who traditionally never knew how to do farming. With the confidence of turning it around and using my experience, I started the first unit of BASIX in North India in Ranchi. Worked with very specific credit intervention in vegetable sub-sector in and around Ranchi, made some successful market linkages, leading to Ranchi vegetables getting better prices in Kolkata mandi and some vegetables like green peas and cauliflower finding their way to Pune to the ‘ready to eat food creator Tasty Bites. This was all done in a short time span of 2-3 years, and all credit goes to the encouragement and freedom coming from VM and Dr. Sankar Datta, the Vice President of BASIX then.
Sometime during then, I came across some senior IAS officers, who tuned my apathy to the Government job into curiosity towards it. I was doing an assessment of the microcredit vertical of an NGO called ADITI in north Bihar and met Mr. Eswaran, a retired IAS officer who was doing the assessment of some other vertical. He, on his own, encouraged me to write Civil Services, suggesting that with the might of the Government machinery, a lot more could be achieved in the developmental work.
3. What is the most satisfying part of your current role?
My current role is to represent India and that, in all its dimensions is very, very satisfying. Being an integral part of the foreign policy formulation and the challenges of implementing it in stressful and difficult situations in a foreign land, with your own resourcefulness, makes the job super awesome.
4. Has your learning at IIFM helped in shaping how you approach your professional roles?
Yes, learning-unlearning and relearning at IIFM indeed shaped my professional approach and gave me the necessary skill set which comes in handy use to navigate diplomatic affairs. Two years of PFM including the two organizational pieces of training created an ecosystem that enables strong analytical, organizational, and leadership skills, necessary for any successful venture.
5. Who (or what) are the biggest influences or drivers in your careers? What would be your advice to freshers and IIFM graduates who are looking to choose similar sectors/roles?
It’s difficult to name a few, as one realizes that over a longer span each individual and each situation contributes; still, to answer your question, Mr. Vijay Mahajan was a big influence, so was my own understanding of different aspects of India which I got exposed to during my time at IIFM and BASIX, which not only groomed me but also lit a fire under me. Based on my own experiences, I would encourage people to go outside their comfort zones and not ever settle for mediocrity.
6. What are your favourite memories during your IIFM days?
So many! The entire journey of two years flashes before me anytime that I think of IIFM. It was full of fun, each of the batchmates, seniors and juniors who overlapped with us, the campus, the architecture, the bamboos parties, the Kalpataru and its preparations, the field trip, the hostel, the mess, celebrating festivals like Holi, waiting for telephone calls on the hostel landline phone, playing volleyball, going out and exploring the city at any given opportunity, coming back to IIFM from home after vacations or OTs.. all so dear and a treasure trove.
7. In hindsight, what was the biggest contribution (courses, faculty, library, friends, alumni… Anything else!!) or take away from IIFM that you think played a critical role in shaping you as an individual or professional?
Friends to the greatest extent and all the remaining in some ways.
8. The best buddies/seniors/faculty at IIFM? Some memorable titbits that you like to share?
All my batchmates as best buddies (trust me each one),Sandeep Sengupta and Sasidhar as seniors, Madhu Verma, Ravisundar, and CS Rathore as faculty.
I was a student of Physics in my undergrad with only one exam a year and had no idea of navigating through a professional course or humanities subjects. By the time, I thought the term was beginning, it was the mid-term exam. Had no idea of the GPA system, did very bad in the first few terms, and would have continued so had I not realized the value of good friends and their class notes… and the life was happy then after!!
9. As an alumnus, what’s your advice to freshers or those who are joining IIFM to get the best out of the 2 years there?
Be like a honey bee in your approach to learning and grooming yourself, pick whatever you get from wherever possible. Fight with the batchmates but with a determination to win them over once again. Speak out, discuss, play, engage, learn to critically analyse and constructively criticize… never be afraid of not knowing something from before or not being able to articulate an idea, as these are the things you are there to learn, so keep your learning curve steep. Do not forget that in the two years, you must enhance your employability and your entrepreneurship. And, the most important thing- learn and practice happiness- these catalyses everything else.
10. What is your typical day at the office?
The office begins much early than reaching the office, texts, and calls from the Ministry. The rest of the day goes into guiding the officers in doing their work, reaching out to the Kenyan authorities, reporting back to the Ministry, meetings in the office, ensuring smooth and effective delivery of public services like Passports, Visas, etc and attending ceremonial functions and cultural programs in the evening.
11. And how about weekends, hobbies, family, and anything else you want to add?
Weekends are never fully free from official commitments; however, I do make it a point to spend quality time with my wife and children, make phone calls to my mother and family back in India, and then playing badminton/tennis/golf intermittently.
12. Favourite Books, movies, authors
I love fiction and fairy tales.
13. IIFM is driven by alumni’s passion and commitments towards its goal. How would you like to contribute to IIFM or IIFM alumni, students?
Recent initiatives are a good beginning that provides space for alumni to remain connected. I would like to contribute in any way that the current students may find value in.
14. What do you think is different at IIFM now vs when you studied there? What do you think is a positive change and what is not?
I haven’t been there since our convocation in 2006, so a long time. I hope things have kept pace with the times.
15. Any suggestions on who you want to get profiled/interviewed here?
Again, must compliment all those involved in this idea of profile/interview. I’m not sure who of my batchmates (1998-2000) have been interviewed already but would request you to reach out to each one and may think of giving priority to the ladies across the batches.