Ravindra Kumar Singh, known as R.K. Singh, graduated in Science from Agra University in 1962 and obtained a degree in Bachelor of Engineering (Hons.) in Civil Engineering in 1966 from University of Roorkee (Now IIT Roorkee), topping the list of successful graduates.
He joined Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) in 1967. During his long and distinguished service career, he held several key positions in Indian Railways including that of General Manager, Northern Railway, and Chairman of Railway Board, a position he occupied until his retirement. He is presently Member, Public Enterprises Selection Board, Government of India.
Over the years Singh’s specialisation has been the direction and planning of construction projects, gauge conversion projects and construction of major bridges for Indian Railways. He has authored several technical papers on gauge conversion, track management system, economical design of cement concrete and asphalt concrete mixes, and quality assurance programme for manufacture of rails.
Singh has been the recipient of several honours and awards which include University Gold Medal and Thomason Award of the University of Roorkee, the Railway Minister’s Award in 1984 for the successful construction and completion of a high-speed railway line project in Iraq, and the Railway Territorial Army Decoration by the Prime Minister in 1995. In March 2005, he received a certificate in connection with the inscription of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) on the World Heritage List of UNESCO (left in picture). IIT Roorkee also honoured R.K. Singh with the Distinguished Alumnus Award on its Sixth Annual Convocation, on November 11, 2006.
Singh has vast experience in various aspects of the railways and has travelled extensively all over the world. A man of very simple habits, R.K. Singh is considered “a brilliant civil engineer and an outstanding manager.”
He was elected Chairman of the World Executive Council of International Union of Railways effective 2005.
