Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal is a distinguished 1997-batch IAS officer of the Jharkhand cadre. He holds an engineering degree and a Master’s in Public Policy from the National University of Singapore and Harvard University. With over 21 years of extensive experience, his career has spanned various key roles within the Government of Jharkhand, including serving as Secretary for the Department of Industries, Mines & Geology, and as Secretary to the Chief Minister. His contributions cover a wide array of sectors, including education, IT, industry promotion, energy, natural resource management, and governance.

He previously held the position of Additional Secretary for the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India. For the past three years, he has been working with the Government of India in Delhi, focusing on public policy and management particularly related to education, IT, Industry Promotion, Energy, Natural resource management and governance.

Currently, he serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Authority, under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The National Health Authority (NHA) is the implementing body for two of India’s flagship public health initiatives: the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). The NHA is responsible for the national rollout of both schemes, while State Health Agencies (SHAs), established as autonomous societies or trusts, manage their implementation at the state level.