On Tuesday, the Ministry of Railways appointed Satish Kumar as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Railway Board. An official order stated, “The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Satish Kumar, Member (Traction and Rolling Stock) of the Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS), as the Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board.”
Who is Satish Kumar?
Satish Kumar is the first Dalit officer to become the Chairman of the Railway Board in its 119-year history. He has over three decades of experience working in the Indian Railways and has held several key positions throughout his career. Before this appointment, Satish Kumar served as the General Manager and in other senior roles. He will take over from the current CEO, Jaya Varma Sinha, who is retiring soon. Jaya Varma Sinha made history as the first woman to become the CEO of the Railway Board just a year ago. Satish Kumar’s tenure will begin on or after September 1, and he will serve until his retirement.
Key Facts About Satish Kumar
Satish Kumar is an officer from the 1986 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME). He completed his B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Operations Management and Cyber Law from Indira Gandhi National Open University. His early work in the railways started in the Jhansi division of Central Railway and the Banaras Diesel Locomotive Works (BLW). He later served in North Eastern Railway, Gorakhpur, and Patiala Locomotive Works. Satish Kumar is known for his work on the Fog Safe Device, an innovation that enhances train safety during foggy conditions.
Renaming of 8 Railway Stations
In the meantime, the government has also approved the renaming of eight railway stations in the Lucknow division of Northern Railway. Here are the new names:
- Kasimpur Halt is now Jais City.
- Jais has been renamed Guru Gorakhnath Dham.
- Mishrauli is now Maa Kalikhan Dham.
- Bani has been renamed Swami Parmahans.
- Nihalgarh (NHH) is now Maharaja Bijli Pasi (MBLP).
- Akbar Ganj has been renamed Maa Ahorwa Bhavani Dham.
- Warispur Halt is now Amar Shaheed Bhale Sultan.
- Fursatganj has been renamed Tapeshwarnath Dham.