Who among the following has served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog, the Government of India's premier policy think tank?

Introduction / Context:
NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) is the policy think tank of the Government of India, created to replace the Planning Commission and to provide strategic and technical advice to the Centre and States. The institution has distinct leadership roles, including a Vice Chairman and a Chief Executive Officer (CEO). General knowledge questions often ask you to match these roles with the correct personalities. This question focuses on the CEO position.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question is about the CEO of NITI Aayog.
• Options include Amitabh Kant, Arvind Subramanian, Arvind Panagariya, and Sindhushree Khullar.
• We assume awareness that NITI Aayog is the restructured body that replaced the Planning Commission.
• The task is to identify which of these individuals has served specifically as CEO of NITI Aayog.

Concept / Approach:
The leadership structure of NITI Aayog includes the Prime Minister as Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson, full time members, and a Chief Executive Officer. Amitabh Kant, a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, is widely known for serving as the CEO of NITI Aayog and has been associated with various flagship programmes. Arvind Panagariya, an economist, served as the first Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, not as CEO. Arvind Subramanian held the post of Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India. Sindhushree Khullar had been the Secretary of the erstwhile Planning Commission. Thus, among the given names, Amitabh Kant is the one who served as CEO of NITI Aayog.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: List each person and recall their main positions: Amitabh Kant (NITI Aayog CEO), Arvind Panagariya (NITI Aayog Vice Chairman), Arvind Subramanian (Chief Economic Adviser), Sindhushree Khullar (Planning Commission official).Step 2: Distinguish between the post of CEO and other high level posts such as Vice Chairman or adviser.Step 3: Recognise that Amitabh Kant's name is regularly mentioned in news and exam material as CEO of NITI Aayog.Step 4: Confirm that none of the other three options are associated with the specific CEO designation.Step 5: Select Amitabh Kant as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Official NITI Aayog documents, press releases, and government notifications identify Amitabh Kant as CEO. Exam oriented current affairs compilations also list him under that post. When you compare individual career profiles, the assignments clearly show that Panagariya, Subramanian, and Khullar held different roles in economic policy and planning institutions, not the CEO position in NITI Aayog. This cross checking confirms that Amitabh Kant is the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Arvind Subramanian: He served as Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India, not as CEO of NITI Aayog.
• Arvind Panagariya: He was the first Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, a different post from CEO.
• Sindhushree Khullar: She served as the last Secretary of the Planning Commission before it was replaced, not as CEO of NITI Aayog.

Common Pitfalls:
Because all four names are linked to economic policy and planning, candidates sometimes mix up their specific roles. It is easy to assume that anyone associated with NITI Aayog or the Planning Commission might have been CEO. To avoid confusion, remember one simple mapping: Panagariya as Vice Chairman, Subramanian as Chief Economic Adviser, Khullar with the Planning Commission, and Amitabh Kant as NITI Aayog CEO. This clear association will help in many similar questions on Indian economic institutions.

Final Answer:
The individual who has served as CEO of NITI Aayog is Amitabh Kant.