A watchdog's watchlist

Only the second woman to head a regulatory body in India, Kaur tells Ruchika Chitravanshi and Nivedita Mookerji about her deep interest in economics, the challenges of AI, and why she might be seen as a tough taskmaster

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It's not easy to meet a regulator in an informal setting. So, this lunch with the chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) takes weeks to materialize. Ravneet Kaur, a 1988-batch Punjab cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, has her days packed with antitrust cases — against Big Tech, quick commerce, and legacy businesses alike — awaiting final rulings.

CCI, mandated to promote and sustain competition in markets, recently turned 16. It is India's relatively young counterpart to the US Federal Trade Commission, which is more than a century old.

To meet the chairperson of this vital regulator, we want to pick a fitting venue. After scouting several upscale restaurants across Delhi, we settle on Med at the India Habitat Centre (IHC) — just five minutes from Lodi Gardens and close to the CCI headquarters in Kidwai Nagar. Open only to IHC members and their guests, Med is known for its Mediterranean menu, poolside charm, and relaxed ambience. We arrive early and choose a window-side table from where this fifth-floor restaurant offers a sweeping view of Delhi's monsoon greenery.

Soon, Kaur arrives — elegantly dressed in a cotton sari, smiling warmly. She is only the second woman to head an economic regulatory body in India, after Madhabi Puri Buch, former chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). A regular at Med, she's quite clear that when dining out, she prefers non-Indian cuisine. The restaurant, then, is an easy choice.

She has come prepared to enjoy the afternoon, and we are soon ordering our drinks. She opts for a mango mojito, ideal for a languid summer afternoon, and we follow suit, adding a kaffir lime ginger sparkler to the mix. "I like to come here," she says simply, and can tell she means it.