Newsroom24x7 Staff

New Delhi: Ashwani Lohani, an Indian Railway Service offficer (IRSME (1980), presently on deputation to the Government of Madhya Pradesh, has been appointed as Chairman and Managing Dirrector Air India for a tenure of three years.

Lohani is at present Managing Director Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and CommissionerTourism Government of Madhya Pradesh.

Lohani has the credit of taking MP tourism to great heights. He is known for his no-nonsense and businesslike working style. In his new position, he would be facing the challenge of turning around the fortunes of Air India. With his commitment to zero corruption, a lot is expected of him. Lohani recently wrote on facebook: “Everyone yearns for Ram Rajya and a corruption free society. Corruption is indeed the biggest epidemic staring at the nation and hampering its growth. I only wish for an absolute corruption free governance in India.”

In December 2014, Lohani wrote on social media: “Spicejet also sinks. On the pattern of Air India and Kingfisher, the impending demise of Spicejet may also be due to leadership failure”

The appointment of a new CMD of Air India was hanging fire for a long time as the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) had failed to carry out the mandate to recommend a suitable person for appointment as the new chairman and managing director (CMD) of Air India last year. Subsequently, the Government of India took over the exercise of selecting the new executive head of the national carrier.

The outgoing Air India CMD Rohit Nandan, (IAS/Uttar Pradesh/1982), whose 3-year tenure ended last November 11 was on extension. Before his appointment as chief executive of Air India, Nandan was joint secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation from December 16, 2009 till August 23, 2011.

PESB had invited applications to fill the post of Air India CMD on September 9, 2014 – two months before the end of Nandan’s term.