Ashwani Lohani reappointed Air India CMD

Former Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani has been reappointed Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India. Lohani headed the carrier from August 2017 to September 2017 when he was moved to the Railway Board as the chairman, from where he retired in December 2018. It was during his tenure that Air ` 105 crore in FY17 since the merger of Indian Airlines and Air India in 2007. Touted as the ‘Turnaround specialist’, Lohani’s appointment will be crucial after Air India’s failed divestment attempt last year. This year, the government has already decided to transfer over ` 29,000 crore of AI’s huge ` 55,000 debt to a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). Lohani succeeds Karnataka cadre IAS Pradeep Singh Kharola, who was earlier appointed as the Civil Aviation Secretary following the superannuation of RN Choubey.