Who is Preeti Sudan, the New Chairperson of UPSC?

August 1, 2024

On August 1, 2024, Preeti Sudan will start her role as the Chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in India. She is taking over from Manoj Soni, who resigned for personal reasons. Preeti Sudan will hold this position until April 2025, when she will turn 65 years old.

Appointment and Tenure

Preeti Sudan’s appointment as Chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is made under Article 316 A of the Indian Constitution. As a current member of the UPSC, she steps into this important leadership role with a lot of experience in public service.

Career and Background

Preeti Sudan is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1983 batch of Andhra Pradesh. She retired from her role as Union Health Secretary in July 2020. Before that, she held several key positions, including Secretary of the Department of Food & Public Distribution, and worked in Women & Child Development and Defence. She has advanced degrees: an M.Phil in Economics and an MSc in Social Policy and Planning from the London School of Economics.

Contributions and Initiatives

Sudan has played a key role in launching important national programs like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, and Ayushman Bharat. She was also involved in setting up the National Medical Commission, the Allied Health Professionals Commission, and banning e-cigarettes.

Global Experience and Leadership Roles

Besides her work in India, Sudan has a strong international background. She was a former Consultant with the World Bank and held leadership roles such as Chair of COP-8 in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Vice Chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health, and Chair of the Global Digital Health Partnership. She also served on WHO’s Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.

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