Air India CMD Ashwani Lohani appointed as the new Chairman of Railway Board

New Delhi, August 23: The Railway Ministry on Wednesday appointed Ashwani Lohani as the new Chairman of Railway Board after AK Mittal tendered his resignation following the derailment of Kaifiyat Express near Aurariya in Uttar Pradesh. Lohani currently is the Chairman & Managing Director of Air India.

Who is Lohani?

Lohani, an officer with Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers (IRSME), is currently Chairman-Managing Director (CMD) of Air India. He is considered as 'Midas' man as Lohani scripted success story of MP Tourism and was later drafted for pulling out beleaguered Air India from the red.

Lohani featured in Limca Record in 2007 for having four "engineering degree equivalents" in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering from Institution of Engineers, India. Lohani also has his name registered in Guinness Book of World Records for successfully running the 'Fairy Queen Express' which is the world's oldest working steam locomotive.

In his illustrious career, Lohani has served as the Chief Mechanical Engineer, Divisional Railway Manager of Delhi, Northern Railway, Director, National Rail Museum, New Delhi, Director in the Ministry of Tourism Government of India, MD of Madhya Pradesh Tourism, and CMD of India Tourism Development Corporation.

In fact, PMO had favoured making Lohani as Railway Board Chairman (CRB) when Mittal had superannuated about a year back. But he was too junior compared to current members of the Railway Board. But post-Utkal Express mishap, PMO stepped in and heads started rolling in railways top hierarchy. First to go was member engineering, who was sent on compulsory leave just 10 days before his retirement and now Mittal has put in his papers.

OneIndia News