The Railway Board has appointed Satish Kumar, a 1986 batch railway mechanical engineer, as its new chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), making him the first Dalit to hold this position in the Board’s 119-year history. Currently serving as the member for traction and rolling stock, Kumar will officially assume his role as CEO on September 1. His tenure will continue until his superannuation, followed by a one-year re-employment on a contract basis.
Kumar will succeed Jaya Verma Sinha, who has been appointed as the administrative member of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). Sinha previously made history as the first woman to serve as the Railway Board CEO.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved Kumar’s appointment at a time when issues surrounding Dalits and quotas have become central to political discourse. Known as a hard taskmaster and a patient listener, Kumar has dealt with various challenges related to loco pilots in his current role.
With a career spanning 38 years, Kumar has made significant contributions to railway safety, notably improving the ‘fog safe’ device. He has also played a key role in the upcoming Vande Bharat sleeper coaches and Vande Bharat Metro trains projects, which are expected to be launched soon. Kumar is married to a doctor and holds the apex pay scale (pay level 17) as per the 7th Central Pay Commission.
