Shubash Khuntia appointed as Irdai chairman, succeeds TS Vijayan

Shubash Chandra Khuntia, former chief secretary to the Karnataka government, has been appointed as the new chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) for three years.

Khuntia replaces former Irdai chairman, TS Vijayan, who completed his tenure on February 20. He was among the eight candidates short-listed by the Financial Sector Regulatory Appointment Search Committee (FSRASC) for the post. 

The other prominent candidates included New India Assurance Chairman G Srinivasan, Insurance Corporation Chairman VK Sharma, former corporate affairs secretary Tapan Ray, Badri Singh Bhandari, whole-time director of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority, Nilesh Sathe, a current Irdai member, and three managing directors of LIC.

On Tuesday, the Department of Personnel and Training, announced Khuntia’s appointment to the post of chairman after the Financial Sector Regulatory Appointment Search Committee approved of his candidature. 

Khuntia hails from Jagatshingpur in Odisha and is a graduate of the 1981 batch of the Indian Administrative Service.  Khuntia had been appointed as the chief secretary to the Karnataka government in 2016.