Preeti Sudan

Some Lesser Known Facts About Preeti Sudan

• Preeti Sudan’s family initially resided in Sangrur, Punjab, but later settled in Dadri. When kings and maharajas ruled, her ancestors were given the title Rao. They added this title to their names because of their Bhardwaj gotra.

• She has received training in public finance management in Washington, USA.

• She once taught in the economics department at Panjab University, Chandigarh, as an ad hoc lecturer and resided in Rani Laxmi Bai Girls Hostel No. 2.

• She has served as Secretary in the Department of Food and Public Distribution and held positions in the Ministry of Defense, Women and Child Development, Tourism, Disaster Management, Agriculture, Finance, and Planning.

• She once served as a consultant at the World Bank.

• On 17 October 2017, she was appointed as the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. She played a key role in handling the COVID-19 pandemic and was instrumental in planning and implementing the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, a scheme providing free health coverage to India’s bottom 40% poor and vulnerable population. Preeti served in the position until July 2020.

  

• Preeti has served as the Chairperson of COP-8 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Vice Chairperson of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), and Chairperson of the Global Digital Health Partnership (GDHP).

• She has also served as a member of the World Health Organisation’s Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.

• Preeti has contributed to national-level programs like ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao,’ ‘The Real Cost E-Cigarette Prevention Campaign,’ and ‘National Medical Commission Act, 2019.’

• In 2020, Sudan joined the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPPR) and examined the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic by the WHO and countries. She served there until 28 November 2022.

• On 29 November 2022, Preeti became a member of the Union Public Service Commission.

• On 31 July 2024, Preeti was appointed as the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission. She became the second woman to hold the position after replacing Manoj Soni, who resigned due to personal reasons.