The government on Monday appointed former chairman and chief executive officer of Railway Board Anil Kumar Lahoti as the new chairperson of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), The Economic Times reported.

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti (IRSE, 1984), former chairman and chief executive officer, Railway Board, Ministry of Railways as Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until he attains the age of 65 years or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in a notification said.

Lahoti, an Indian Railway Service of Engineers 1984 batch officer, had been empanelled in the first panel of Indian Railways Management Service for Level-17.

Graduated in Civil Engineering with Gold Medal from Madhav Institute of Technology and Science, Gwalior, he did his Master of Engineering (Structures) from University of Roorkee (IIT, Roorkee).

The former railways official undertook training in Strategic Management and Leadership programs at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA; Bocconi School of Management, Milan, Italy; and the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.

In his more than 35 years of career in the Indian Railways, Lahoti worked in various capacities across Central, Northern, North Central, Western and West Central Railways regions.

Following the completion of a two-year term of former Trai chairman PD Vaghela in September last year, the high-profile post was lying vacant with Meenakshi Gupta (Member) taking over additional charge in the interim.