Published: 12:34 AM, 06 July 2026
Reminiscing Shekhar Dutta: A Doyen of Indian Defense and Administrative Services
Shekhar Ranjan Dutta, a dynamic diplomat, soldier and finally civil servant of India. Now in India, we find that talented citizens are not recognized. Though Dutta has become mixed with the stars as of a year ago. To be introspective, Dutta was a man of multiple parts. He was the former defense secretary, dynamic soldier and tremendous bureaucrat of repute. In this vast nation, India, there is a tendency that true talents are not recognized at all and then masses are not made aware of them. It is the ethical aspect of our character, which we try to uphold the activities of those luminary figures. In India, whenever any luminary figures depart for eternal peace and calmness, we must reminisce about their activities with a deep heart and mind.
Shekhar Ranjan Dutta, was one such personality who dedicated his level in his various capacities. It is exactly one year. Still Dutta’s name has not been uttered all over India. But the pity is that we have been evinced from close quarters that his activities and working life are not at all updated. I am sorry to learn that our closer and cordial neighbor People's Republic of Bangladesh still reminisces his contribution with a deep heart. It must be a year or little before Dutta visited Bangladesh. During his stay he visited The Asian Age (TAA), Dhaka which made TAA, deeply proud of the entire group. His attire was so deep-rooted and cordial. Mr. Mahfuz Ul Hasib Chowdhury, current executive secretary of the group, is still so sad about missing Dutta. In this regard, I sincerely feel talented people will have their worth on this earth. Even if any talented person is deceased at present, they will also be evaluated at present in its positive frame of mind.
Writing vividly about Shekhar Ranjan Dutta is not at all required. He was a former I.A. S officer and a hardcore career bureaucrat. Not only was he a career bureaucrat, he was much higher above them. He was appointed governor of Chhattisgarh on January 23, 2010. Dutta had the pleasure of being the Deputy National Security Advisor and the Defense Secretary of the government of India.
Mr Sekhar Ranjan Dutta, being an I.A.S officer of the Madhya Pradesh Cadre of the year 1969 batch, however served in multiple ministries, including the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Health. Apart from the above, he served in various ministries like the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Health. Mr Dutta also became secretary of the defense ministry and also Director General of Sports Authority of India.
Apart from the above, as an I.A.S officer, Mr Dutta was appointed Divisional Commissioner of Raipur Revenue Division in the year 1985. Later on, he became Director (Navy), in the ministry of Defense.
From the years 1991-1996, Mr Dutta held key positions in the national level of India. The portfolios which were held by Late Dutta around the above periods are stated as follow:
Joint Secretary in the ministry of defense.
Director in the public sector undertaking groups like Bharat Electronics Limited, Bharat Earth Movers Limited, Mazagaon Docks Limited, Bharat Dynamics Limited, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited and finally Goa Shipyards Limited.
Now coming to a different period, that means from the years 1996-2001, Dutta was in charge of various portfolios. These are stated as follow:
These positions pertain to the government of Madhya Pradesh. The names of the positions are stated as follow:
Tribal and Scheduled Caste Welfare as principal secretary.
Principal secretary of the department of school education.
Principal secretary Sports and Youth Welfare.
From the years 2001 to 2003 Dutta was in charge of the following portfolios:
Director General of Sports Authority of India. It was during his tenure as secretary of the department, India successfully conducted Afro Asian Games at Hyderabad in the year 2003.
In the year 2002, India won the highest number of medals at the Commonwealth Games.
In the year 2003, Dutta was appointed as secretary in the ministry of health, Government of India.
From the years 2005 to 2007 Dutta was reappointed as the secretary of the ministry of defense.
In the year 2007, prior to his retirement Dutta was reappointed as Deputy National Security Advisor for a two-year term. Former Intelligence Bureau chief as well as former governor of West Bengal M.K. Narayanan was the National Security Advisor.
In the year 2009, Dutta was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Desales University.
It was during his tenure as defense secretary; Dutta was instrumental in undertaking various initiatives to modernize government machinery on a new footing. Again, in the year 2010, Dutta was reappointed as governor of Chhattisgarh for the second consecutive term.
Apart from the above data pertaining to the life of Sekhar Ranjan Dutta, let me state the honor and a book written by the civil servant cum author.
Fellow of Swansea University, UK, with honorary degree in the year 2018. Also, he received the Sena Medal.
Now let me state the book written by Late Sekhar Ranjan Dutta. Reflections on Contemporary India, which was later on launched by the honorable President of India, Late K.R. Narayanan in the year 2014 on February 11. Dutta throughout his prolonged longevity was involved in multiple activities.
Sekhar Ranjan Dutta visited Bangladesh in the year 2018. During his visit to Bangladesh, he had the pleasure of stepping into the precincts of The Asian Age, Dhaka office. He had prolonged exchanges with Mahfuz-UL-Hasib Chowdhury on diverse issues which might affect the common citizens of Bangladesh. In his interactions with Mahfuz, Late Dutta expressed proficient opinions upon Bangladesh. As per the views of Dutta, Bangladesh will rise up more in the upcoming days of our life.
What was expected so highly about Bangladesh, now things have drastically changed about the nation. It was from post 05.08.2024, the scenario faced 360-degree reversal. Sheikh Hasina despite performing remarkably had to face eviction and now it is well known to all of us in which direction the nation is moving. Very pathetic scene indeed.
The doyen of Indian civil servant ultimately breathed his last in the year 2024 on July 2. His demise was not only a costly blow for India, but also for Bangladesh. During his visit to Bangladesh, he expressed deep satisfaction about the growth of this South Asian nation.
I, as a writer for this prized daily, Dhaka city, feel extremely proud to write about this reputed civil servant of India. I also sincerely cherish that Bangladeshi civil servants must pick up the noble values of Shekhar Ranjan Dutta so as to steer their nations out of deep woods. Hope better sense to bounce back in this nation once again very soon. In the end, I pay my glowing homage to this towering civil servant of India as well as that of the civil servant of the South Asian Subcontinent.
Sujayendra Das is a columnist
based in Calcutta, India.
