P D Vaghela (Dr)

Dr P D Vaghela was appointed Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 1st October, 2020.

Prior to joining TRAI, Dr Vaghela was Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers. He joined Indian Administrative Service [IAS] in 1986. He has held various assignments from District level to State level, during which he had won a number of awards for excellence as best Collector & District Magistrate 86 District Development Officer. In his assignment as Chairman, Kandla Port (2008-2013), the port was awarded as the best port for five years of his tenure. Dr Vaghela was Chief Commissioner of Sales Tax, in Gujarat, during which period he has played a major role in drafting GST law, its rules and fixing GST rates of goods and services as Convener of national level GST Law and GST Fitment Committees. He was closely involved in the GST implementation at national level as a key member of GST Implementation Committee.

As Secretary Pharmaceuticals, Dr Vaghela has launched four ambitious schemes to transform the sector. He has also worked as Convenor of Empowered Group 3 (now EG2) which handled availability of critical medical supplies like PPE, N-95, Ventilators and testing kits. Today India is exporting these items for which India was otherwise dependent on imports during pre-covid time.

In May, 2018 Dr Vaghela was honoured by Honourableble Prime Minister of India for excellence in Public Administration while appreciating his contribution in implementation of GST in India.

Dr Vaghela graduated in Commerce in 1982. He did his MBA (Master of Business Administration) with specialization in Financial Management in 1984 and also obtained MA in Development Studies (Public Policy & Management) from the Institute of Social Studies, the Hague in the Netherlands in 2005. He was decorated with a Doctorate in Public Management and Policy by Sardar Patel University, Anand, Gujarat in 2013