The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has appointed Dr R.S. Sharma, former chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and chief executive, National Health Authority (NHA), as its chairperson.
Dr Sharma, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1978 batch, has had a distinguished career in both central and state governments, where he has been instrumental in implementing reforms and utilising information technology (IT) to streamline administrative processes.
Dr Sharma led TRAI from August 2015 to September 2020, where he focused on consumer-centric recommendations to ensure the availability and affordability of telecom and broadcasting services nationwide. Before his tenure at TRAI, he served as secretary of the Department of Electronics and Information Technology and was the chief secretary of Jharkhand in 2013-14. He was also the director general and mission director of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) from 2009 to 2013, collaborating closely with Nandan Nilekani.
In his most recent role at the NHA, he spearheaded the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and played a key role in the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). He also led the development of CoWIN, the digital platform for India’s COVID-19 vaccination program, and served as the chairman of the Empowered Group on Vaccine Administration (EGVAC) and as a member of the National Expert Group on Vaccination (NEGVAC).
His appointment is expected to enhance open commerce among entities and strengthen the value chain.
