New Delhi: Former Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani has taken over the reins of Air India and has been named as the new chairman and managing director (CMD) of the national carrier, an order issued by the government said on Wednesday. This will be Lohani's second tenure as Air India chief and he will take over the baton from Pradeep Singh Kharola. Kharola moved out after he was appointed Civil Aviation Secretary.
Lohani's appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Wednesday, sources said. He served as the Railway Board Chairman from August 2017 and to December 2018.
He was born in Kanpur 1959 and holds an omega aqua terra 2017 Limca Record for having four engineering degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, metallurgical engineering and electronics & telecommunication engineering from Institution of Engineers, India; a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for successfully running the 'Fairy Queen Express', the world's oldest working steam locomotive. He also served as DRM, Delhi Division; Director, National Rail Museum; Chief Administrative Officer, Rail Alternate Fuels; Commissioner and Managing Director of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. Lohani was also ITDC chairman as well as the director of the Rail Museum in the capital.
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