Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, 1996 batch IAS officer, appointed DGCA director general

Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, a 1996 batch IAS officer, is presently serving as additional secretary in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

NEW DELHI: Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, a 1996-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer was appointed on Friday as the director general of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Faiz Ahmed Kidwai has been appointed as DGCA director general (Screengrab/HT Tourism Conclave)

Kidwai, who is presently serving as additional secretary in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, was appointed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). He is a Madhya Pradesh cadre officer.

Vikram Dev Dutt, a 1993-batch IAS officer who previously served as DG of the aviation regulator from February 28, 2023, stepped down on October 20, 2024 after his appointment as the coal secretary. Since then, Dinesh Chand Sharma, the senior most joint director general of DGCA, has held additional charge.

The Indian aviation sector is experiencing significant growth. However, it is accompanied with a few challenges.

In his new role, Kidwai, who has led MP’s tourism and transport departments in his previous roles, will have to deal with supply chain issues and demands that the regulator addresses pilot fatigue and safety concerns.

The ACC also approved the appointment of Ashutosh Agnihotri, a 1999-batch IAS officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, as the chairman and managing director of the Food Corporation of India. Agnihotri is presently serving as an additional secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs.