Jaya Verma Sinha, the first female CEO and Chairperson of the Railway Board in its 118 year history

The Government has appointed Jaya Verma Sinha as the CEO and Chairperson of the Railway Board, making her the first ever woman to head the board in its 118-year old history.

"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 and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Railway Board”, read the government statement appointing her as the head of the top decision making body of the Ministry of Railways.

Ms Jaya Verma Sinha is slated to take charge from September 1, succeeding Mr Anil Kumar Lahoti. Earlier, Ms Sinha was to retire on October 1, but she will be re-employed and serving as the CEO and Chairperson of the Railway Board till her tenure expires on August 31, 2024.

An alumnus of the Allahabad University, Ms Sinha joined the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) in 1986, and has maneuvered her way through the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Railway zones of India. She also served at the Center for Railway Electrification. Ms Sinha was one of the forerunners who handled the aftermath of the tragic Balasore Train Tragedy that killed over 290 people, and she also explained the nuances of the complex signaling system to the world.

Ms Sinha worked as the Railway Advisor in the High Commission of India in Dhaka, Bangladesh for four years. The Maitree Express from Kolkata to Dhaka was inaugurated during her tenure.