Satish Kumar, a 1986 batch railway mechanical engineer, has been appointed as the Railway Board’s chairman and CEO. He will become the Railway Board’s first dalit chairman in its 119-year existence.
Kumar, currently a Board member for traction and rolling stock, will become CEO on September 1. He will maintain the post until his superannuation date and then be re-employed on a contract basis for the next year.
Kumar will replace Jaya Verma Sinha who has been appointed as Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) administrative member. Sinha broke the glass ceiling last year to be the first woman Railway Board CEO.
The approval of the Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by PM Narendra Modi to appoint Kumar as the head of the railway’s highest decision-making body is crucial as it comes at a juncture when Dalits and quotas have become key issues of political debate.
In his current capacity, Kumar ideals with issues related to loco pilots. He is said to be a hard taskmaster and a patient listener, a railway officer was quoted as saying in a ToI report. His appointment is in the apex pay scale (pay level 17 as per the 7th central pay commission).
Over his 38-year career, Kumar, who is married to a doctor, has made major contributions to railway safety, particularly in improving the ‘fog safe’ device. He has been actively engaged with the new Vande Bharat sleeper coaches and Vande Bharat Metro trains projects, which will be rolled out soon, an official stated.
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