Mrs Rathi Vinay Jha – Member

Former member of Indian Administrative Service . Chairperson, Plan India

Mrs Rathi Vinay Jha joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1967. She worked in the Government of India and the Government of Tamil Nadu for 37 years. She handled various assignments, among others, as Collector of Madras, CMD of the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Development Corporation, CMD of COOPTEX, CMD of the India Trade Promotion Organization. She was Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and the Director General of Anti-Dumping. As the Secretary of Tourism Ministry, she undertook the planning and development of tourism destinations on a sustainable scale, such as at Hampi, Ajanta-Ellora, Bodhgaya, and the Buddhist circuit among others. She retired in 2004 as Secretary of Ministry of Tourism.

In 1987, Mrs Jha established India’s first professional college for fashion education – The National Institute of Fashion Technology. After retirement she served as Secretary General of the India chapter of the World Travel & Tourism Council, as also the Director General of the Fashion Design Council of India for six years.

She is currently the Chairperson for The Indian Heritage Cities Network Foundation, a partner NGO of UNESCO, The India Foundation for Arts (IFA) and All India Artisans and Crafts persons Association (AIACA). She is on the Board of a number of NGOs working in the field of Management, Education, Health and Arts.