2 academics to be part of Niti Aayog

NEW DELHI: Government on Saturday named academics Joram Aniya and R Balasubramaniam as new members of Niti Aayog as part of a revamp of the thinktank.

PM Narendra Modi congratulated both the academics in a post on X. “Their rich experience and deep understanding of various issues will greatly strengthen policy making. I am confident their contributions will help drive innovation and growth across sectors. Wishing them a very productive and impactful tenure ahead,” he added.

The addition of Aniya to Niti Aayog marks a significant step as it brings an eminent intellectual voice from Arunachal Pradesh. She is currently an associate professor and member of the Arunachal Pradesh Private Educational Regulatory Commission, and comes with rich experience in teaching, research, and public policy engagement, officials said.

She is the first woman from the Nyishi community to earn a doctorate and the first in Hindi language in the state, with significant contributions to literature, culture, and indigenous knowledge systems, they added. She has authored and edited many books on Nyishi literature and culture, along with numerous research publications.

Balasubramaniam, who has taught at Cornell University, is a member for human resources at the Capacity Building Commission set up by govt.

A qualified physician, Balasubramaniam is the founder of the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement and the Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement. Balasubramaniam has a master's degree in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University.

Late last month, govt named former chief economic adviser Ashok Lahiri as the new vice chairman of Niti Aayog. IISER, Bhopal director Gobardhan Das, economist K V Raju, AIIMS director M Srinivas and science and technology secretary Abhay Karandikar were named as new members. Rajiv Gauba will also continue as a full-time member.

Lahiri is expected to take over next week and with new members in place, the thinktank is expected to provide critical inputs during the challenge posed by the conflict in West Asia.