Air India Gets Pradeep Singh Kharola As Its New CMD: Official Sources

Pradeep Singh Kharola has been appointed as the new chairman and managing director (CMD) of the national carrier, Air India. Kharola, a Karnataka cadre officer is a senior Indian administrative service (IAS) officer who is currently the managing director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation.

He will replace Rajiv Bansal, who was appointed as the interim CMD of Air India and has recently been given three months of extension.

The change of guard comes at a crucial time since the government is currently in the midst of finalising the modalities of the strategic disinvestment of Air India.

Air India has five subsidiaries and a joint venture (JV) company. Plans are afoot to sell government stakes in Air India and its subsidiaries separately in order to maximise earnings from the sale process.

The subsidiaries and JV of Air India includes Air India Express Limited (AIEL), Air India Air Transport Service Limited (AIATSL), Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), Airline Allied Service Ltd (AASL), Hotel Corporation of India (HCI) and JV with AI/Singapore Air Transport Services (AI-SATS).