Syamal Bhushan Ghosh Dastidar

Post retirement, Mr Ghosh Dastidar served as Vice Chairman of Railway Claims Tribunal, New Delhi. In 2011, Ghosh Dastidar was appointed as Independent Director for National Thermal Power Corporation of India and in 2012 he was appointed as Independent Director of Bharat Coking Coal Limited.

Syamal Bhushan Ghosh Dastidar is an ex-Indian Civil Servant, former Member Traffic of the Railway Board and Ex-Officio Secretary to the Government of India. In 2009, he was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award in the civil service category. He was the only one who is felicitated with this honor in 2009 in the Civil Service category.

In Dec 2003, as Additional Member (Traffic) of the Railway Board, Shri S.B.Ghosh signed an agreement with his Pakistani counterpart to re-establish the second rail link between India and Pakistan after about 40 years. Following this, the Thar Express started its operations between Bhagat Ki Kothi (India) and Karachi Cantonment (Pakistan), on 18 February 2006 during his tenure as Member (Traffic).

He also introduced market-driven industry-specific dynamic pricing models and simplified commercial rules. In December 2006, Ghosh Dastidar also introduced ‘Zero Based Time Table’, which is the ‘Bedrock’ of all future Time Tables.

In 2005, as General Manager of Central Railway, he restored the railway system in record time during the all-time high torrential rain and flood which paralyzed all systems in the city of Mumbai.

As Member Traffic, Railway Board and Ex-Officio Secretary to Government of India from July 2005 to March 2007, Ghosh Dastidar played a pivotal role in scripting the financial turnaround of Indian Railways which generated Rs. 14,453 crores in profit in 2006–07.

As Assistant Operating Superintendent, Sahibgunj, Ghosh Dastidar introduced a new system of clubbing wagon load consignments to trainload for a Single Destination which increased the productivity of wagons fourfold. In 1975, Ghosh Dastidar almost doubled the Freight loading of Barkakhana subdivision by revamping the coal pilot working of Patratu Coalfield. Later, as Senior Divisional Operating Manager of Dhanbad division, he introduced the concept of Pool Allotment in Patratu Coal Field. This improved the supply of coal to power houses by better line capacity utilization and reduced cost of transportation.

S.B. Ghosh Dastidar was born on 1 April 1947, in the Barisal district of British India to Haridas Ghosh Dastidar (father) and Amiyabala Ghosh Dastidar (mother). Ghosh Dastidar's family moved to Calcutta during the Partition of India. Mr Ghosh Dastidar joined the Indian Railway Traffic Service in 1969 after completing his Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) from Calcutta University.

Mr. Ghosh Dastidar is married to Sreela Ghosh, also a Civil Servant (a recipient of the Presidential Award for Specially Distinguished Record of Service,) who retired as Member, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs and Special Secretary to Government of India. They have two children: Rajarshi Ghosh Dastidar and Sharmishtha Ghosh. He is a devotee of Yogoda Satsanga Society of India established by Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda in 1917.