Ashwini Vaishnaw At NDTV World Summit 2025: All About Railways, Electronics Minister

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will take the stage on Day 2 of the NDTV World Summit 2025 to spotlight India's digital and technological journey. As the Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, he will lead the session "The Great Indian Techade: Reimagining India's Digital Destiny", exploring India's innovation, digital transformation, and future-ready infrastructure.

Ashwini Vaishnaw: Early Life And Education

Ashwini Vaishnaw was born on July 18, 1970, in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. He pursued a BTech in Electronics and Communication from JNVU Jodhpur, followed by an MTech from IIT Kanpur. Later, in 2008, he earned an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Ashwini Vaishnaw's Career

Ashwini Vaishnaw joined the IAS in 1994 (Odisha cadre) and earned recognition for his work during the 1999 Super Cyclone. In 2003, he moved to the Prime Minister's Office under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and later served as deputy chairman of Mormugao Port Trust. After leaving civil service, he transitioned to the corporate sector, holding leadership roles, such as Managing Director of GE Transportation and Vice President at Siemens Locomotives, before becoming an entrepreneur in 2012 with Vee Gee Auto Components and Three Tee Auto Logistics in Gujarat.

Political Career

Ashwini Vaishnaw entered active politics with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has been a Member of the Rajya Sabha from Odisha since June 2019. On July 8, 2021, he assumed the role of Union Minister of Railways, Minister of Information & Broadcasting, and Minister of Electronics & IT.

Achievements

As Union Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw has spearheaded significant reforms across Railways, Electronics & IT, and Communications. In Railways, he has modernised over 250 stations, upgraded over 3,000 kilometres of tracks, built Dedicated Freight Corridors, and improved train punctuality to over 90 per cent.

In Electronics and IT, he has connected over 200 million households under BharatNet, overseen UPI transactions surpassing 10 billion per month, and driven growth in electronics and IT sectors, making India the world's second-largest IT exporter. In Communications, his leadership enabled the 5G rollout after raising over $20 billion from the spectrum auction.

About The NDTV World Summit 2025

The NDTV World Summit 2025, to be held on October 17-18 in New Delhi, is a premier gathering of global leaders, innovators, and thinkers from politics, science, technology, and business. The summit will explore the theme of Risk, Resolve, and Renewal, addressing the challenges and opportunities shaping the next decade. It will be held in Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.