Railway board appoints first-ever woman CEO and Chairperson in 105-year history

In the 105-year history of the Ministry of Railways, the Centre today named Jaya Verma Sinha as CEO and Chairperson of the Railway Board, making her the first woman to ever hold the position. 

She joined the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) in 1988 and worked in the Northern Railway, South Eastern Railway, and Eastern Railway railway zones. Sinha is an alumna of Allahabad University.

"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.

Sinha will take over for Anil Kumar Lahoti on September 1st, at the earliest. Her term ends 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. 

Sinha was the public face of the railways in the wake of the tragic Balasore accident, that killed nearly 300 people in Odisha, explaining the complex signaling system to the media.

During her four-year tenure 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.