The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Sunil Kumar Barnwal, a 1997-batch IAS officer of the Jharkhand cadre, as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Authority (NHA).
Barnwal is currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education. With more than 25 years of experience in governance, administration, and policy formulation, he has worked extensively across multiple domains including education, industries, IT, energy, natural resources, and public health systems.
He has previously held several important roles in the Government of Jharkhand, notably as Secretary of Industries, Mines & Geology, where he spearheaded initiatives to boost industrial growth and resource management, and as Secretary to the Chief Minister, where he played a pivotal role in governance reforms and administrative efficiency. For the last three years, he has been part of the Government of India, contributing to national-level projects and higher education reforms.
An engineering graduate, Barnwal also holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Harvard University, equipping him with global perspectives on governance, innovation, and public service delivery.
The National Health Authority (NHA) is the apex body responsible for implementing the government’s flagship health assurance programme — the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) — the world’s largest publicly funded healthcare scheme that aims to provide health coverage of ₹5 lakh per family annually to over 55 crore beneficiaries.
Under Barnwal’s leadership, the NHA is expected to focus on:
Strengthening health insurance coverage for vulnerable populations.
Scaling digital health initiatives under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
Enhancing transparency and efficiency in healthcare delivery.
Expanding private sector participation to improve access and affordability.
Barnwal’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment when India’s healthcare sector is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by digital health innovations, universal health coverage goals, and a growing emphasis on public-private partnerships. His administrative experience and policy expertise are expected to further consolidate the NHA’s role as a key driver of equitable, affordable, and quality healthcare for all Indians.