The Transporter
JAYA VARMA SINHA 60, Chairperson and CEO, Railway Board
AS THE FIRST woman Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the Railway Board, Jaya Varma Sinha, 60, has literally stormed a till now male-dominated bastion. But this is nothing new for her. She was also the first woman to be appointed as the Principal Chief Operations Manager of South Eastern Railway.
Sinha, an Indian Railway Traffic Service official, has vast experience in various verticals such as operations, commercial, IT and vigilance in her nearly 35-year career, and she is held in high esteem by her peers and in industry circles.
Given her exceptional track record, Sinha, who was due to retire in September 2023, has been given a one-year extension. Under her leadership, the Railways, which logged a record revenue of ₹2.4 lakh crore in 2022-23, is seen to have exceeded ₹1.5 lakh crore by November-end this year. However, maintaining this robust growth in revenue is a challenge.
She has been working round the clock on various initiatives, including the modernisation of rail infrastructure, roll-out of more Vande Bharat trains as well as pushing up freight revenues that had been languishing in recent years. Completing the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) initiative as well as the bullet train project are also top priorities for the Railways, under Sinha, as it tries to upgrade its infrastructure and get future ready.
However, managing one of the largest railway networks in the world is not easy. Safety concerns have long marred the national transporter's reputation, and they've come back into the spotlight because of recent mishaps. For Sinha, improving the Indian Railways' track record on this front will be a key priority and an achievement. - BY SURABHI
SHELL LIFE
MANSI MADAN TRIPATHY 51, Country Chair, Shell India
This story is from the December 24, 2023 edition of Business Today India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 24, 2023 edition of Business Today India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
"Moving to cloud helped us grow❞
What was the problem you were grappling with?
She's Got Time
MORE WOMEN ARE BECOMING WATCH CONNOISSEURS, SEEKING OUT BOTH JEWELLED AND TECHNICAL WATCHES FOR THEIR STYLE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP
RISING STAR
PARUL GULATI IS a name that's been steadily gaining prominence in the Indian entertainment industry after she appeared on season 2 of Shark Tank in 2023. She has become a multifaceted personality who effortlessly transitions between acting and entrepreneurship.
Building on a Legacy
WHEN ZAHABIYA KHORAKIWALA stepped into her role as Managing Director of Wockhardt Hospitals over a decade ago, she confronted formidable challenges that have since turned into achievements.
LEADER IN INNOVATION
AS FEDEX'S PRESIDENT (Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Africa), Kami Viswanathan has a lot on her plate.
WAITING IN THE WINGS
Here are those who missed out as they have not yet completed a year in office; they'll be strong contenders in 2025
A DECENT PROPOSAL
IN TODAY'S WORLD OF TRYING TO CREATE AN EQUITABLE SPACE, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR HOUSEHOLDS. WOMEN ARE ENCOURAGED TO HAVE THEIR OWN SAVINGS POOL AND INVESTMENT ROUTINE. GIVEN THIS, HOW SHOULD FUTURE BRIDES APPROACH FINANCIAL PLANNING?
Women and the STEM Bias
EMPOWERING WOMEN IN STEM WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT INDIVIDUALS, BUT ALSO STRENGTHEN THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY, DRIVING INNOVATION AND PROGRESS.
ROCKET WOMEN
WOMEN IN INDIA ARE NOT ONLY VENTURING INTO SPACE BUT ARE ALSO STARTING TO SPEARHEAD THE COUNTRY'S EFFORTS IN THE GLOBAL SPACE RACE.
ONE STEP FORWARD
THE NUMBER OF WOMEN INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS IS GROWING STEADILY, BUT IT'S A LONG WAY FROM GENDER PARITY. MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO BREAK THE GLASS CEILING IN BOARDROOMS.
