Ashwani Lohani, an Indian Railway Service Officer, has been appointed Air India Chairman and Managing Director.
Lohani will succeed Rohit Nandan, whose three-year term ended last year and was on a one-year extension.
A mechanical engineer, Lohani is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. He is the founder member of the Indian Steam Railway Society and member of CII National Council on Tourism.
He has authored two books – ‘Winning at work against all odds’ and a coffee table book ‘Smoking Beauties’ that came out in March 2004. In January 2006, Lohani also authored a report on ‘Rail Heritage and Tourism’. He is also life member of Museums Associations of India and Institute of Rolling Stock Engineers.
Air India, which controls close to a fifth of India’s domestic air travel market, has been losing money for years and has long been criticised for its high costs.
Last month, the finance ministry said it will provide an additional funding of Rs 800 crore for the ailing airline. In 2012, the government handed the company a Rs 30,000 crore bailout package.
Air India had reported a net loss of Rs 5,547 crore in 2014-15.
