New Delhi, May 3: The Central government has appointed academician Dr. Joram Aniya and scholar-author Dr. R. Balasubramaniam as full-time members of NITI Aayog, raising the think tank’s full-time membership to seven, including a vice-chairman. Prime Minister Narendra Modi serves as its chairman.
A Cabinet Secretariat notification stated that Prime Minister Modi approved the appointments effective from the date of assumption of charge, on the same terms as other full-time members. This follows the April 24 reconstitution, which named Ashok Kumar Lahiri as vice-chairman and added 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 members.
Sources highlight Aniya’s appointment as a milestone, introducing a prominent voice from Arunachal Pradesh to national policymaking. An associate professor and member of the Arunachal Pradesh Private Educational Regulatory Commission, she brings over 18 years in teaching, research, and policy. The first woman from the Nyishi community to earn a PhD—and the first in Hindi in the state—Aniya has authored books on Nyishi literature and culture, plus numerous publications on indigenous knowledge.
Dr. Balasubramaniam, a public policy expert, physician, and development activist, founded the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) and Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM). He holds a master’s in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School.
