India, June 16 -- India's G20 Sherpa and former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, 69, on Monday announced he has stepped down from government service, ending a 45-year-long career, and said he will engage with startups, think tanks, and academic institutions in a personal capacity.

"My New Journey: After 45 years of dedicated government service, I have made the decision to embrace new opportunities and move forward in life," Kant wrote on X. "I am incredibly thankful to the Prime Minister of India [Narendra Modi] for accepting my resignation as G20 Sherpa and for having given me the opportunity to drive a range of developmental initiatives and contribute to the growth, development, and progress of India. I am grateful to all my colleagues, pe...