The appointments follow a recent reconstitution of the government think tank, aimed at strengthening policy expertise and broadening representation in national decision-making.

The Centre on Saturday appointed academician Joram Aniya and scholar-author R Balasubramaniam as full-time members of the NITI Aayog, taking the total number of such members in the government think tank to seven, along with a vice-chairman.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the chairman of the Niti Aayog.

“In continuation of the Cabinet Secretariat’s notification dated 24.04.2026, the prime minister has approved the appointment of the following persons as full-time members of the NITI Aayog with effect from the date of assumption of charge and until further orders, on the same terms and conditions as are applicable to full-time members: (i) Dr R Balasubramaniam; (ii) Dr Joram Aniya,” a notification issued by the Cabinet Secretariat said.

Recent reconstitution expanded leadership team

On April 24, while reconstituting the Niti Aayog, the government appointed Ashok Kumar Lahiri as its vice-chairman and economist K V Raju, M Srinivas, Secretary in the Department of Science and Technology, Abhay Karandikar, scientist Gobardhan Das and former Cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba as full-time members.

Aniya’s appointment seen as historic representation

Sources said Aniya’s inclusion in the government think tank marked a historic moment, bringing an eminent intellectual voice from Arunachal Pradesh to the highest level of national policymaking.

An accomplished academician, associate professor, and member of the Arunachal Pradesh Private Educational Regulatory Commission, Aniya has more than 18 years of experience in teaching, research, and public policy engagement.

Notably, she is the first woman from the Nyishi community to earn a PhD, and the first in Hindi language in the state, with significant contributions to literature, culture and indigenous knowledge systems.

She has authored and edited many books on Nyishi literature and culture, along with numerous research publications.

Balasubramaniam brings policy and grassroots experience

Scholar-author Balasubramaniam is a public policy expert and development activist.

A qualified physician, he is the founder of the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) and the Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM).

Balasubramaniam has a master’s degree in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University.

Published on May 2, 2026