Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday approved the appointment of R Balasubramaniam and Dr Joram Aniya as the full-time members of the Niti-Aayog.
"In continuation of Cabinet Secretariat's notification No. 511/1/1/2024- Cab. dated 24.04.2026, the Prime Minister has approved the appointment of the following persons as Full- time Members, NITI Aayog with effect from the date of assumption of charge and until further orders, on the same terms and conditions as are applicable to Full-time Members, NITI Aayog: Dr R. Balasubramaniam and Dr Joram Aniya," the notification in the Gazette of India read.
Aniya's appointment a historic move: Sources
Sources described Aniya’s appointment to the government’s think tank as a historic step, bringing a prominent intellectual voice from Arunachal Pradesh into national policymaking. Aniya is an accomplished academic and associate professor, as well as a member of the Arunachal Pradesh Private Educational Regulatory Commission. She has over 18 years of experience in teaching, research, and public policy.
Aniya is also the first woman from the Nyishi community to earn a PhD - and the first in Hindi in the state - making notable contributions to literature, culture, and indigenous knowledge systems. She has authored and edited several books on Nyishi literature and culture, along with numerous research papers.
Balasubramaniam, a scholar and author, is a public policy expert and development practitioner. A trained physician, he founded the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) and the Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM), and holds a master’s degree in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University.
The government had appointed Ashok Kumar as vice-chairman
On April 24, during the reconstitution of NITI Aayog, the government appointed Ashok Kumar Lahiri as Vice-Chairman. It also named economist K. V. Raju, AIIMS Director M. Srinivas, Department of Science and Technology Secretary Abhay Karandikar, scientist Gobardhan Das, and former Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba as full-time members. Modi met Lahiri and extended his best wishes to the new Niti Aayog Vice Chairman.
Taking to social media, the PM sent his wishes to the newly-appointed members. "NITI Aayog has emerged as a vital pillar in India’s policy-making architecture, fostering cooperative federalism, furthering reforms and boosting ‘Ease of Living.’ It serves as a dynamic platform for innovation and long-term strategic thinking across sectors," Modi wrote on X.
"The Government has reconstituted the NITI Aayog. My best wishes to Shri Ashok Kumar Lahiri Ji on becoming the Vice Chairman. My best wishes also to Shri Rajiv Gauba Ji, Prof. K. V. Raju Ji, Prof. Gobardhan Das Ji, Prof. Abhay Karandikar Ji and Dr M. Srinivas Ji on becoming Full Time Members of NITI Aayog. Wishing all of them a productive and impactful tenure ahead," he added.
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