Rohit Nandan Appointed CMD, Air India

Civil aviation ministry official Rohit Nandan, 54, today took over as chairman and managing director of cash strapped Air India.

Nanadan, a joint secretary in the ministry of civil aviation, was yesterday formally appointed as Air India's chairman and managing director, replacing Arvind Jadhav, whose term was to have ended in May 2012. (See: Centre dumps Jadhav, Rohit Nandan assumes charge as Air India CMD).

Jadhav has been repatriated to his parent Karnataka cadre.  According to the appointment notification, Nandan's appointment is for a three-year period.

The notifcation said, "In exercise of the powers conferred under Article 133, read with Article 117, of the Articles of Association of the Air India Limited (AIL), the President is pleased to appoint Shri Rohit Nandan, IAS (UP:82), Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation as Chairman & Managing Director, Air India Limited on deputation for a period of three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier, from the date of taking over Charge."

The government is also in the process of inducting "three to four independent directors" to the Air India board in place of former FICCI chief Amit Mitra, currently the West Bengal finance minister, and Anand Mahindra, vice chairman and MD Mahindra Group, who  resigned a few months ago.

Three functional directors for finance, personnel and commercial, would also be appointed to the board soon.