The Government of India has appointed four non-official part-time Directors on the Board of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (Visakhapatnam Steel Plant) for a period three years. They are Mr. APVN Sarma, former IAS Officer (1974 batch), Mr. Swashpawan Singh, former IFS Officer (1974 batch), Mr. HS Chahar, former IAS Officer (1976 batch) and Dr UD Choubey, Director General of SCOPE and Ex-CMD of GAIL (India).Mr. Sarma, IAS of Andhra Pradesh Cadre was Secretary in Government of India in the ministry of shipping. He also held important portfolios in Government of Andhra Pradesh and was also CMD of Singareni Coalfields Ltd. Mr. Swashpawan Singh as a member of the Indian Foreign Service held wide range of appointments in the ministry of external affairs and in the Indian embassies. He was Ambassador of India in Kuwait and there after Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations in Geneva.Mr. Chahar, IAS of Orissa Cadre worked as Secretary in the departments of Agriculture, Transport and Commerce, Housing and Urban development, Steel and Mines, Forest and Environment and General Administration in the Government of Orissa.Dr Choubey has rich professional experience having worked as CMD of GAIL (India) with additional charge as Chairman of Brahmaputra crackers & polymers Ltd, Mahanagar Gas Line and Shell CNG, Egypt.The appointment of independent directors on Board of RINL fulfills one of the important criteria for conferring ‘Navaratna’ status to RINL.