The central government has appointed Jaya Verma Sinha as the new Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Railway Board. She is the first woman ever to head the Railway Board in its 166-year history.
The Indian Railways’ primary decision-making body is the Railway Board. Sinha, who succeeds Anil Kumar Lahoti in her new position, will be in charge of managing all aspects of transportation of freight and passenger services.
She previously served on the Railway Board as an Additional Member of Traffic Transportation before being named CEO.
Sinha started her career with the Indian Railways in 1988 as an officer in the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS). She has worked in a variety of roles throughout the course of her 35-year career, including operations, information technology, commercial, and vigilance.
She also served as the Principal Chief Commercial Manager of Northern Railway and the Divisional Railway Manager of Sealdah Division.
Her tenure as the Railway Advisor at the High Commission of India in Dhaka, Bangladesh, saw the initiation of the Maitri Express services between Kolkata and Dhaka.
She was also the first woman to be appointed as the Principal Chief Operations Manager of South Eastern Railway.
The 1988 batch IRTS officer is an alumnus of Allahabad University.
