Century-old Railway Board which came into effect in 1905 has got its first woman Chairperson after the government announced the appointment of Jaya Varma Sinha to the post.  

Her appointment to the chairperson post has come into effect on September 1. She will continue to serve as chairperson till August 31, 2024.

Before being appointed as head of the top decision-making body for the Ministry of Railways, Sinha was the Member (Operations and Business Development). She has succeeded Anil Kumar Lahoti, a 1984 IRSE officer, as Railway Board chairperson.

“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.

An alumnus of Allahabad University, Sinha worked in the Northern Railway, South Eastern Railway, and Eastern Railway. She has also served in Centre for Railway Electrification (CORE).