The Indian government is planning to recruit professionals for top positions at country’s national carrier, Air India through a global search process in a bid to revive ailing airline, said India’s civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu last week in an interview with Press Trust of India (PTI).
The government has been working with various initiatives to revive the airline after the planned strategic stake sale of the national carrier failed to take off last year. Now, amid all hurdles, the government is seriously considering the proposal to professionalise Air India management.
"I have already ordered a global search for the professionalisation of Air India completely. All top positions in Air India should be filled by some sort of a global search. That proposal is now under active consideration of the government," Prabhu said in an interaction with PTI.
The government is also planning to form a committee to search and recruit activation professionals from across the globe who can work for Air India to bring it on the sustainable growth path.
As of now, the airline has nine members of the board including two officers from the country’s civil aviation ministry. The chairman and managing director of the airline is senior IAS officer Pradeep Singh Kharola.
The two businessmen, ITC chairman Y C Deveshwar and Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla serve as independent directors on the board whereas, Ravinder Kumar Tyagi, Syed Zafar Islam, and Daggubati Purandeswari are the other independent directors on the board.
Air India finance operation director Vinod Hejmadi, as well as civil aviation ministry's additional secretary Gargi Kaul and joint secretary Satyendra Kumar Mishra, also work as part of the airline board.
Prabhu added that debt has turned into a major challenge for the rival of the airline. He told that his ministry is working with the finance ministry to address the issue.
Air India estimated to have a debt burden of Rs 550 billion and about Rs 290bn is to be transferred into a special purpose vehicle.
