Prior to this, Sinha was Chairman & Managing Director of UTI Asset Management Company and also Chairman of Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI).
Prior to becoming 8th chairman of Sebi, Sinha, an ex-Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer, had held several responsible positions both in the state and central government. He was Joint Secretary (Banking) and Joint Secretary (Capital Markets), Ministry of Finance. Market observers say Sinha has tough task cut out for him, as his predecessor Bhave had placed the institution above suspicion and shown real powers of Sebi.
For everyone who have been under the impression that children studying in convent or public schools only come out with flying colours, Sinha stands out as an exception.
A 1976-batch Bihar cadre IAS officer, Sinha had a humble beginning. Son of freedom fighter Phuldeo Prasad, he was born in Bihar’s Goplaganj district. He studied in government primary and secondary school in the district and graduated in Physics Honours from Science College, Patna. He did his Masters in Physics. He later completed his LLB from Patna University. He was selected probationary officer (PO) with State Bank of India (SBI) where he worked for three years and learnt the nuances of financial management. Sinha’s tenure with SBI helped him shore up revenues of cooperative society and corporations as an IAS officer. He was posted as SDM, Jamshedpur. He ensured setting up of Slag Pickers Cooperative Society for tribal workers. The society was not only able to stop exploitation of workers, but also ran schools, crèches, medical facilities, and above all, had substantial bank balance. As District Magistrate of Giridih (now in Jharkhand), he is remembered for opening up user-friendly bus terminal and cricket stadium where Ranji Trophy matches are played.
As Managing Director of Bihar State Credit & Investment Corporation posted in Patna he scripted a turnaround story for the corporation, which recorded three-fold increase in profit during his tenure. Before taking over as UTI Mutual Fund Chairman Sinha had served in the banking and capital market divisions of the Ministry of Finance.