From SECI CMD to #OpenToWork: Gujarat cadre ex-IAS RP Gupta’s curious LinkedIn journey

By Rajiv Shah

Recently, I wrote a blog on retired Gujarat cadre IAS bureaucrat RP Gupta, with whom I used to interact during my Gandhinagar Sachivalaya days as the Times of India man. Written in the backdrop of the Government of India controversially easing him out of his position as CMD of the PSU Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a special purpose vehicle to promote solar energy, the title of the blog — "RP Gupta a scapegoat to help Govt of India manage fallout of Adani case in US court?" — is self-explanatory about the blog’s contents.

After I wrote the blog, I searched the net to find out more about him out of sheer curiosity. And perhaps the most interesting thing I found was on LinkedIn — his profile declared he is #OpenToWork, giving details of his "job preferences", offering a few "job titles", which include "advisor, independent director."

In the "Location Types", the profile says, "on-site hybrid", and under "Locations (on-site)", he includes "India, European Economic Area, United States, United Kingdom, Mumbai Metropolitan Region". I didn’t understand why he says India when Mumbai Metropolitan Region is already mentioned, and why European Economic Area when the UK is separately listed. Further on, under the "Start date" section, he says, "Flexible, I am casually looking" (sic!), and under the "Employment types", he says, "Full-time-part-time contract."

Then I decided to further look at his profile. In its "About" section, he says: "I provide consulting and advisory services in the field of environment, pollution control, circular economy (waste processing, recycling resources), forestry laws and carbon neutrality, environment planning, different clearances, compliances, legal advice and strategising, policy advocacy services, services in areas of forest & wildlife issues", adding: "Advisory and consulting services (including legal) in the areas of all forms of energy resources, mining, including coal and carbon neutrality and trading."

A further look into the profile suggested he has still not updated it after being removed from the post of SECI CMD. Thus, he mentions: "Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, Government of India Official Full-time", pointing out he worked in that position from June 2020 to December 2021 — one year and seven months — as his main contribution.

In his note on the posting, he says — and I reproduce it verbatim here:

"I headed the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change. dealt with regulations in Environment, pollution Control, Coastal regulation zones, waste management regulations, Extended Producer responsibility and all facets of environment including amendment of Act, rules and regulations and their enforcement.

On Forest side, I guided all forest policies, streamlining of enforcement of forest laws, schemes to encouragement of plantations and forestry, biodiversity, and all allied issues.

I was also looking after Climate change policies of Government of India. I headed the Indian delegation at CoP26 at Glassgow (sic!) on behalf of Government of India and guided & directed the negotiations on behalf of the country. before CoP 26, prepared the framework for negotiations. Prepared the policy papers which formed the basis of announcement of India's goal (panchamrit) by Hon'ble prime Minister of India. The area included Climate goals in mitigation (net zero, emission intensity, renewable power capacity), carbon trading goals and policies and all related matters, adaptation policies and loss & damage issues.

My work in the ministry included dealing with all policy, administrative, legal and enforcement issues. various statutory bodies (Central Pollution Control Boards, environmental bodies like CRZ committees, SEIAAs, EACs etc) were formed and supervised by ministry under my control. Legal issues which arise in plenty in this field were also dealt and guided (sic!). During my tenure, number of initiatives in smoother enforcement of regulations, amendments of almost all environment and forest laws was started and draft finalized for presentation to Parliament.

the approach was to balance the requirement of economy and environment.

in nutcel (sic!) I was almost like CEO of environment field for Government."

I showed this to a senior IAS officer, who, while praising RP Gupta for his "impeccable reputation", expressed surprise at the poorly written note (which I have reproduced without any edits), as well as his #OpenToWork offer. A senior Gujarati journalist, commenting on his note, said, "An IIT graduate using such poorly written language is bewildering. Couldn't he use an AI tool to make a correction?"

Note: One can see screenshots from the site on clicking hyperlinks...

Comments

The silencing of conscience: Ideological attacks on India’s judiciary and free thought

By Sunil Kumar* “Volunteers will pick up sticks to remove every obstacle that comes in the way of Sanatan and saints’ work.” — RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat (November 6, 2024, Chitrakoot) Eleven months later, on October 6, 2025, a man who threw a shoe inside the Supreme Court shouted, “India will not tolerate insults to Sanatan.” This incident was not an isolated act but a continuation of a pattern seen over the past decade—attacks on intellectuals, writers, activists, and journalists, sometimes in the name of institutions, sometimes by individual actors or organizations.

'Violation of Apex Court order': Delhi authorities blamed for dog-bite incidents at JLN Stadium

By A Representative People for Animals (PFA), led by Ms. Ambika Shukla, has held the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) responsible for the recent dog-bite incidents at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, accusing it of violating Supreme Court directions regarding community dogs. The organisation’s on-ground fact-finding mission met stadium authorities and the two affected coaches to verify details surrounding the incidents, both of which occurred on October 3.

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

History, culture and literature of Fatehpur, UP, from where Maulana Hasrat Mohani hailed

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly and an extremely important leader of our freedom movement. Born in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, Hasrat Mohani's relationship with nearby district of Fatehpur is interesting and not explored much by biographers and historians. Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri has written a book on Maulana Hasrat Mohani and Fatehpur. The book is in Urdu. He has just come out with another important book, 'Hindi kee Pratham Rachna: Chandayan' authored by Mulla Daud Dalmai.' During my recent visit to Fatehpur town, I had an opportunity to meet Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri and recorded a conversation with him on issues of history, culture and literature of Fatehpur. Sharing this conversation here with you. Kindly click this link. --- *Human rights defender. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat , X @freetohumanity, Skype @vbrawat

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

Citizens’ group to recall Justice Chagla’s alarm as India faces ‘undeclared' Emergency

By A Representative In a move likely to raise eyebrows among the powers-that-be, a voluntary organisation founded during the “dark days” of the Indira Gandhi -imposed Emergency has announced that it will hold a public conference in Ahmedabad to highlight what its office-bearers call today’s “undeclared Emergency.”

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

Epic war against caste system is constitutional responsibility of elected government

Edited by well-known Gujarat Dalit rights leader Martin Macwan, the book, “Bhed-Bharat: An Account of Injustice and Atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-18)” (available in English and Gujarati*) is a selection of news articles on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-2018) published by Dalit Shakti Prakashan, Ahmedabad. Preface to the book, in which Macwan seeks to answer key questions on why the book is needed today: *** The thought of compiling a book on atrocities on Dalits and thus present an overall Indian picture had occurred to me a long time ago. Absence of such a comprehensive picture is a major reason for a weak social and political consciousness among Dalits as well as non-Dalits. But gradually the idea took a different form. I found that lay readers don’t understand numbers and don’t like to read well-researched articles. The best way to reach out to them was storytelling. As I started writing in Gujarati and sharing the idea of the book with my friends, it occurred to me that while...

From seed to soil: How transnational control is endangering food sovereignty

By Bharat Dogra In recent decades, the world has witnessed a steady erosion of plant diversity in many countries, particularly those in the Global South that were once richly endowed with natural plant wealth. Much of this diversity has been removed from its original ecological and cultural contexts and transferred into gene banks concentrated in developed nations. While conservation of genetic resources is important, the problem arises when access to these collections becomes unequal, particularly when they fall under the control of transnational corporations.

Counterview

Search This Blog