IRMS officer Satish Kumar becomes first Dalit chairman of Railway Board
New Delhi (PTI): Indian Railway Management Service officer Satish Kumar has been appointed as the chairman and chief executive officer of the Railway Board, officials said Tuesday.
This makes him the first chairman and CEO from the Scheduled Castes in the board's history, senior officials of the Railway Board said.
Jaya Varma Sinha, who is the current chairperson and CEO of the board, is superannuating on August 31 and Kumar's appointment will be effective from September 1.
"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Satish Kumar, Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS), Member (Traction & Rolling Stock), Railway Board to the post of Chairman & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Railway Board," a government order said.
It said his appointment is in the apex pay scale (pay level 17 as per the 7th Central Pay Commission).
Kumar, a distinguished officer of the 1986 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME), has made significant contributions to Indian Railways throughout his illustrious career, spanning over 34 years, according to the Railway Board.
"On 8th November 2022, he took charge as the General Manager of North Central Railway, Prayagraj, marking another milestone in his journey of public service," an official from the Board said.
"His educational background is as impressive as his professional achievements; he holds a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from the prestigious Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur, and has further enhanced his knowledge with a Post Graduate Diploma in Operation Management and Cyber Law from Indira Gandhi National Open University," he said.
Kumar began his career in Indian Railways in March 1988, and since then, he has served in various pivotal roles across different zones and divisions, bringing innovation, efficiency, and safety improvements to the railway system.
"His initial postings included the Jhansi Division of the erstwhile Central Railway and the Diesel Locomotive Works (BLW) in Varanasi, where he honed his skills in locomotive engineering and maintenance.
"He later served in the North Eastern Railway, Gorakhpur, and Patiala Locomotive Works, contributing to critical projects that enhanced the operational efficiency of these divisions,” a railway official said.
A significant contribution of Kumar is his work on the Fog Safe Device, an innovation that has proven to be instrumental in ensuring safe train operations during foggy conditions, he said.
"This device has become a critical tool for Indian Railways, significantly reducing the risks associated with reduced visibility during the winter months, particularly in the northern regions of India," he added.
According to Railway officials, Kumar's efforts in improving this technology have earned him recognition and appreciation from various quarters.
From April 2017 to April 2019, Kumar served as the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of the Lucknow Division on Northern Railway.
Before he was appointed the General Manager of North Central Railway, Kumar served as the Senior Deputy General Manager and Chief Vigilance Officer of North Western Railway, Jaipur.
"In recognition of his vast experience and contributions to Indian Railways, Satish Kumar was recently appointed as the Member (Traction and Rolling Stock - MTRS), a key position that oversees the critical aspects of traction and rolling stock across Indian Railways,” another official from the Railway Board said.
"Following this, he ascended to the highest echelon of Indian Railways as the Chairman of the Railway Board, where he now plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the railway network in India," he added.
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Prime organiser of Messi event in Kolkata arrested over ‘mismanagement’ after stadium chaos
Kolkata (PTI): The police on Saturday arrested Satadru Datta, the prime organiser of the Lionel Messi football event at Salt Lake Stadium here, following widespread chaos at the venue, which prompted the Argentine World Cup-winning captain to leave the field early.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the stadium unrest, Datta was held by the Bidhannagar Police for “mismanagement” of the event from the Kolkata airport, where he had gone to see off Messi and his entourage on their way to Hyderabad.
"We are looking into whether there was any mismanagement from the organiser's side, which led to the chaos at the stadium. He has been detained, and the police have now brought the situation under control," West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar said at a press conference.
A senior police officer later confirmed that Dutta has been arrested. Till reports last received, the police were interrogating him and his manager inside one of the departure lounges of the airport.
The organiser has given in writing that he will refund the prices of tickets he sold to the disappointed spectators, Kumar said.
What was supposed to be a marquee football spectacle turned into widespread violence and disorder at the stadium after Messi’s brief and tightly ring-fenced appearance, his first at the venue since 2011, left large sections of the crowd frustrated, as they failed to catch a glimpse of their superstar despite having travelled from far and wide, paying hefty sums for tickets.
Police said they were also investigating how organisers allowed sale of bottled waters and beverages inside the stadium premises, which are banned items during such events.
Thousands of water bottles were used as missiles and lobbed inside the pitch by angry spectators, who also uprooted bucket seats from the gallery and used them as ammunition inside the field against the defending police and security personnel.
Spectators alleged that water bottles were being sold at a massive premium inside the stadium despite police disallowing such items from outside at the entry gates.
Police agreed there was an underlying tension in the galleries on account of Messi not showing his footballing skills on the field, which only got aggravated after a bunch of VIPs, including State Sports Minister Aroop Biswas and unidentified people, blocked the football icon’s view during the limited time he spent on the ground.
“We are on the job, and will ensure that whoever is responsible for what happened today at Salt Lake Stadium will be punished, and action will be taken against the authorities concerned,” said Jawed Shamim, ADG, Law and Order.
