Dr. Surajit Mitra, ex-Secretary, Government of India has taken over as the new Director of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade on 5th September, 2012 after Mr. K.T. Chacko demitted office. 

Dr. Mitra is an IAS Officer of 1977 Batch from Assam-Meghalaya cadre with vast experience of working in the Central Ministries of Commerce, Industries, Petroleum, Tourism, Rural Development, Communication, Defence, Home and Finance.  

He also had served the State Government of Assam in various capacities including as Additional Chief Secretary.  He was on the Board of Directors of Navratna CPSUs including ONGC, Indian Oil, GAIL and BHEL.  He was also on the Board of Directors of Maruti Udyog Ltd.

Dr. Mitra has a distinguished academic career with a Post-Graduate Degree in Political Economy from JNU followed by Doctorate in Economics from the University of Cambridge, UK.  He was also a Fellow of Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford and Honorary Professor in the Centre for Policy Research (South-South Cooperation).  

He taught in the University of Delhi, North Eastern Hill University and JNU.  On assuming charge of the Director of IIFT, Dr. Mitra mentioned, “I am extremely happy to get the opportunity to lead one of the prestigious business schools of India which has pioneered development of management studies and research in various aspects of International Trade since 1963.  

My objective will be to globally establish IIFT brand and enhance its pre-eminence as a Centre for Excellence in the management studies and foreign trade.  I am very optimistic that with the rich and reputed faculty of IIFT, this goal is very much achievable.  

We also need to develop the human resource of our country to support the endeavour of the Government to attend 500 billion dollar mark for export in the near future. Hence we will be on the look out to further expand our infrastructure spatially”.