BREAKING: Govt appoints Jaya Verma Sinha as first woman to head Railway Board

Jaya Verma Sinha

On Thursday, the government appointed Jaya Verma Sinha as the first woman CEO and Chairperson of the Railway Board.

The Railway Board is the apex decision-making body for the national transporter.

Jaya Verma Sinha was in the spotlight recently for her interaction with the media during the tragic Balasore accident in the month of June this year.

As a Member (Operations and Business Development), Sinha explained the complex signalling system after the tragic Balasore accident which killed nearly 300 people.

"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," an order said.

Sinha will assume charge on or after September 1 and her tenure will be till August 31, 2024. She succeeds Anil Kumar Lahoti.

Sinha is slated to retire on October 1 but will be re-employed the same day till her tenure is over.

Sinha joined the Indian Railway Traffic Service in 1988 and worked in the Northern Railway, S E Railway, and Eastern Railway. She is an Alumnus of Allahabad University.

She also worked as a Railway Advisor at the High Commission of India, Dhaka, Bangladesh for four years.

The Maitree Express from Kolkata to Dhaka was inaugurated during her tenure in Bangladesh. She also worked as the Divisional Railway Manager, Eastern Railway, Sealdah Division.

(with inputs from PTI)