Pradeep Singh Kharola appointed new Air India CMD

The change of guard comes at a time when Air India is dealing with a debt of under Rs 50,000 crore.

Senior IAS officer Pradeep Singh Kharola has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Air India, official sources said on Tuesday.

The government is in the process of finalising the modalities of the strategic disinvestment of Air India. (File Photo)

Kharola, a Karnataka cadre officer, would replace Rajiv Bansal, who has been serving as the interim CMD for a little over three months.

The appointment comes days after Bansal was given an extension for three months. Currently, he is the Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.

The change of guard at the helm of Air India also comes at a time when the government is in the process of finalising the modalities of the strategic disinvestment of the national carrier, which is dealing with a debt of under Rs 50,000 crore.