NEW DELHI: Former head of Air India and chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani is the new Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) director. The official order for his appointment was issued on Wednesday. A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME), Lohani is known for turning around various organisations during his illustrious career.
Following his retirement from IRSME service, he joined the GMR Group as the CEO.
According to the order dated June 4, his appointment to the post of director, Prime Ministers Museum and Library in the rank and pay of Secretary to the government of India on contract basis” is for three years from the date of assumption of charge, or until further orders whichever is earlier.
As Chairman & Managing Director of Air India from August 2015 to August 2017, he helped pilot the organisation to a position of stability and earned operating profits.
In between his two stints in Air India, he also worked as Railway Board chairman. During his tenure, the country’s transport monolith went through a major reform. It resulted in impetus to the Vande Bharat train, dedicated freight corridors, high speed railway between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, doubling of tracks, electrification and above all a vastly improved safety record.
He also holds a Limca Record for having four engineering degrees in mechanical, electrical, metallurgical and electronics and telecom engineering.