Hunt begins for a new chief of Air India

NEW DELHI: Government has began search for a new head of National Aviation Company of India Ltd, which runs the merged Air India, almost three months ahead of the end of incumbent chairman and managing director V Thulasidas' tenure.
    
The CMD would oversee all activities of the company, which has about 33,000 employees and operates 140 aircraft, besides being in the process of inducting about 111 more planes over the next four years.
    
Thulasidas, an IAS officer of the Tripura cadre, is due to retire in March next year. He has steered the airline through the losses and turned it around, leading to the merger of the national carriers Air India and Indian. NACIL was incorporated in March this year and operationalised in August.
    
Referring to the advertisement posted on Civil Aviation Ministry website, industry sources said the scope for a professional to head the organisation in the prevailing competitive scenario was limited as the notice was focused on government officers, PSU executives and defence personnel.
    
As per the advertisement, officers of the level of Additional Secretary or equivalent, Lieutenant General in the Army and equivalent levels of the Navy and Air Force would be considered on deputation for the post, subject to their cadre clearance.
    
Industry sources felt that given the stiff competitive environment in the domestic and international aviation sectors, government should rope in a professional to run the national carrier that is one of the biggest in Asia.