Speaker Bio

Dr.P.D. Vaghela joined as 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. Dr.Vaghela had graduated in Commercein the year 1982.He did his M.B.A (Master of Business Administration) with specialization in Financial Management in 1984 and also obtained M.A in Development Studies (Public Policy & Management) from the Institute of Social Studies, the Hague in the Netherlands in the year 2005. He was decorated with a Doctorate in the year 2013 in Public Management and Policy by Sardar Patel University, Anand, Gujarat.

He joined Indian Administrative Service [IAS] in 1986. He has held various assignments starting 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. He worked as 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 keymembe rof GSTImplementation Committee.

As Secretary Pharmaceuticals, he has launched four ambitious schemes to transform the sector. He 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 Hon'ble Prime Minister of India for excellence in Public Administration while appreciating his contribution in implementation of GST in India.