The Centre named Jaya Verma Sinha as CEO and Chairperson of the Railway Board, making her the first woman to hold the position in the over 100-year history of the Ministry of Railways.
Ms Sinha, an alumnus of Allahabad University, joined the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) in 1986 and worked in three railway zones: Northern Railway, South Eastern Railway, and Eastern Railway.
“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Jaya Verma Sinha, Indian Railway Management Services (IRMS), Member (Operations & Business Development), Railway Board to the post of Chairman & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Railway Board,” a government statement read.
Ms. Sinha will take over for Anil Kumar Lahoti on September 1st, at the earliest. Her term will end on August 31, 2024. Ms Sinha is set to retire on October 1 but will be re-hired on the same day for the rest of her contract.
Ms. Sinha was the railways’ public face following the horrific Balasore tragedy, which killed over 300 people in Odisha, explaining the intricate signalling system to the media.
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During her four-year employment as Railway Advisor at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, Bangladesh, she was instrumental in the launch of the Maitree Express, a train service that connects Kolkata and Dhaka.
