New Delhi, July 31 (IANS): Former Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan will be the new Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) chairperson from Thursday, under Article 316 A of the Constitution.

The 1983 batch IAS from the Andhra Pradesh cadre will take over charge from Manoj Soni who recently resigned.

She will have tenure till April 2025.

Sudan, who retired as Union Health Secretary in July, 2020, also served as Secretary in Food & Public Distribution Department, and, in the Ministry of Women & Child Development and Defence.

She initiated two major flagship programmes of the country, i.e., 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' and 'Ayushman Bharat', apart from Legislation on the National Medical Commission, Allied Health Professionals Commission & ban on E-cigarettes.

She had also served as a Consultant with the World Bank.

Besides, she had served as Chair of COP-8 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Vice Chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Chair of Global Digital Health Partnership and a member of WHO's Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.