The Indian Railway Management Services (IRMS) have entered a new phase as a result of a significant decision made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). An experienced IRMS member named Jaya Verma Sinha has been given permission to assume the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Railway Board. With this historic appointment, Jaya Verma Sinha becomes the first woman to hold this prestigious position in the 166-year history of the Indian Railways.
In 1988, Jaya Verma Sinha began her career with the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS). She is currently employed with the Ministry of Railways’ Railway Board as a Member of Operations and Business Development. Her responsibilities include managing the nation’s freight and passenger transportation services.
Over the course of her 35-year career with the Indian Railways, Sinha has proven her abilities in a variety of fields, including operations, business, information technology, and vigilance. She was a pioneer since she was the first woman to be appointed as South Eastern Railway’s Principal Chief Operations Manager. She has also held the positions of Divisional Railway Manager for Sealdah Division and Principal Chief Commercial Manager for Northern Railway. The legendary Maitri Express was launched from Kolkata to Dhaka during her tenure as the Railway Advisor at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Sinha’s promotion as Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board is evidence of her excellent leadership skills and domain knowledge in operations and business development. Her appointment to this esteemed position on or after September 1, 2023, will start a new era for the railway industry. Her tenure, which includes a reemployment period from October 1, 2023, to August 31, 2024, and her superannuation, confirms her commitment to the expansion of the sector.
As Jaya Verma Sinha is ready to take the reins, her appointment not only highlights her remarkable skills but also serves as an example of how gender diversity and inclusivity in leadership are being increasingly recognised within India’s railways. The Railway Board, a 1905-established organisation, is currently making history as a woman assumes the role of Chairman and CEO.
