SUMMARY
- ONDC has appointed RS Sharma as its non-executive chairperson.
- Sharma has previously served as the head of TRAI and the chief executive of NHA.
- Sharma also served as the Director General & Mission Director of UIDAI from 2009 to 2013.
On Tuesday, the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) appointed RS Sharma as its non-executive chairperson. Sharma previously served as the head of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the chief executive of the National Health Authority (NHA).
The ONDC Board unanimously chose Sharma for this role, according to a government official quoted by ET.
The ONDC unites different applications, creating a single platform for both buyers and sellers to interact online.
Sharma, an officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) from the 1978 batch, has an impressive career spanning both the Central and state governments. He is known for spearheading reforms and utilizing Information Technology (IT) to make administrative tasks easier.
In 2021, the government established a nine-member advisory council, which included notable figures like Infosys non-executive chairman Nandan Nilekani, to improve e-marketplaces.
This council was made up of its founding members – Jaxay Shah, Chairman of the Quality Council of India (QCI), and Suresh Sethi, the MD and CEO of Protean eGov Technologies Limited, along with independent directors such as Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman of the Capacity Building Commission, and Anjali Bansal, the Founder of Avaana Capital.
During his tenure at the National Health Authority (NHA), Sharma played a key role in the rollout of the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the initiation and development of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
He also oversaw the creation and implementation of CoWIN, the digital platform that supports India’s COVID-19 vaccination program. Additionally, he served as the Chairman of the Empowered Group of Vaccine Administration (EGVAC) and was a member of the National Expert Group on Vaccination (NEGVAC).
Sharma led the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India from August 2015 to September 2020. During his tenure, he advocated for consumer-focused policies and ensured the accessibility and affordability of telecom and broadcasting services across the country.
Sharma held the position of Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and also acted as the Chief Secretary of Jharkhand from 2013 to 2014.
Sharma also served as the Director General & Mission Director of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) from 2009 to 2013, collaborating closely with Nilekani during this time. His role is expected to enhance online trade among different parties and improve the overall value chain.
