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Jaya Verma Sinha Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 4, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth18 September 1963

Age60 Years

BirthplaceAllahabad (Prayagraj), Uttar Pradesh

ProfessionCivil Servant (Indian Railway Traffic Service)

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseNeeraj Sinha

FamilyDaughter: Avnika Sinha; Father: VB Verma; Mother: Savitri Verma

Jaya Verma Sinha Biography

Jaya Verma Sinha is a career Indian Railway Traffic Service officer who made history in 2023 as the first woman to be appointed CEO and Chairperson of the

Early life and background

Jaya Verma Sinha was born on 18 September 1963 in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), Uttar Pradesh. She grew up in the city and completed her schooling at St. Mary’s Convent Inter College, Allahabad. She went on to study at the University of Allahabad, earning a B.Sc. in PCM and a postgraduate qualification in psychology. Later in her career she pursued executive and policy studies abroad, including courses at SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan and a certificate course in public policy economics at the University of Oxford.

Her family background includes her father VB Verma, a former Class One officer in the CAG office, and her mother Savitri Verma. She is married to Neeraj Sinha, an IPS officer, and the couple have a daughter, Avnika Sinha. Her hometown is listed as Prayagraj, and she retains Indian nationality.

Career

Jaya Verma Sinha cleared the UPSC civil services examination in 1986 and joined the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) as part of the 1986 batch. Over a multi-decade career she has held a wide range of operational, commercial and advisory posts across Indian Railways.

Early postings included roles in the Northern Railway such as Assistant Area Manager for the Kanpur area and Divisional Commercial Manager of the Allahabad division. She served as Senior Transportation Manager at the Centre for Railway Electrification (CORE) in Ranchi, and later as Divisional Operations Manager and Senior Divisional Operations Manager in Northern Railway’s Allahabad and Delhi divisions.

From 2000 she worked on the Freight Operations Information System (FOIS) as Deputy Chief Project Manager, a role she held for around five years. She also served overseas as Railway Adviser at the High Commission of India in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where she was involved in the Kolkata–Dhaka Maitree Express initiative.

Back in India, Verma Sinha took on several senior leadership appointments: Chief Vigilance Officer of Northern Railway, Divisional Railway Manager of Sealdah in Eastern Railway, Senior Deputy General Manager of South Eastern Railway at Garden Reach, and Principal Chief Operations Manager in South Eastern Railway. In June 2020 she was appointed Principal Chief Commercial Manager at Northern Railways and served in that capacity until January 2023.

In August 2021 she took on the role of Advisor Traffic Transportation and Additional Member Traffic in the Ministry of Railways, responsible for overall freight and passenger transportation. During that period Indian Railways reported record freight growth and set higher freight-loading targets for future years. In January 2023 she was appointed Member (Operations & Business Development) of the Railway Board.

Public profile

Jaya Verma Sinha became widely visible to the public in June 2023 when she represented Indian Railways at media briefings following the Balasore rail accident, explaining aspects of the signalling system. That exposure preceded a historic appointment: on 31 August 2023 she was named CEO and Chairperson of the Railway Board, becoming the first woman to lead the Indian Railway Board since its formation. She assumed office on 1 September 2023.

Her civil service career has been marked by steady progression through operational, commercial and policy roles, and she has attained an HAG+ grade in the Railway Board. As CEO and Chairperson she succeeded her predecessor and took on responsibilities for the national railway system at the highest administrative level.

Personal interests and profile

Outside her official duties, Verma Sinha enjoys photography—particularly bird photography—and has an interest in sports and socio-cultural activities. She is a fan of Kishore Kumar’s music. Physically, her listed height is approximately 160 cm and she has brown eyes and brown hair.

Latest updates

Her appointment as CEO and Chairperson was announced at the end of August 2023, and she took office on 1 September 2023. Although she was due to retire on 1 October 2023, available reports indicated arrangements for re-employment through 31 August 2024. Her tenure at the Railway Board followed an extensive career across divisions and departments of Indian Railways.
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Recent Work

CEO and Chairperson of the Railway Board

Named CEO and Chairperson of the Railway Board on 31 August 2023; assumed office on 1 September 2023, becoming the first woman to hold the post.

2023
Member (Operations & Business Development), Railway Board

Appointed as Member of Operations & Business Development of the Railway Board in January 2023.

2023
Advisor Traffic Transportation and Additional Member Traffic, Ministry of Railways

Served in the ministry role from August 2021, overseeing freight and passenger transportation and contributing to record freight growth.

2021-2023
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined Indian Railway Traffic Service in 1988 batch (1986 selection year)
  2. Served in senior operational and commercial roles across Northern, Eastern and South Eastern Railways
  3. Railway Adviser at the High Commission of India in Dhaka; part of Maitree Express initiatives
  4. First woman Principal Chief Operations Manager of South Eastern Railway (March 2018)
  5. First woman CEO and Chairperson of the Railway Board (assumed office 1 September 2023)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Jaya Verma Sinha born?

18 September 1963

What is Jaya Verma Sinha known for?

Civil Servant (Indian Railway Traffic Service)

What is Jaya Verma Sinha’s marital status?

Married

Who is Jaya Verma Sinha married to?

Neeraj Sinha