Amrita Sharan gets addl charge as AI Director Personnel

Senior Air India official Amrita Sharan has been given the additional charge of Director Personnel, according to an official communication.

Sharan, who is executive director (Industrial Relations and Integrations), would have the additional charge for three months.

The move also comes at a time when the government has expressed its commitment to strategic disinvestment of loss-making Air India and a plan is also being prepared to run the airline efficiently.

Since the departure of N K Jain as Director (Personnel) in January 2017, there has not been a full-time person in the post. Air India's Director (Finance) Vinod Hejmadi has been looking after the personnel department.

Sharan has been appointed for a "period of three months from assumption of charge of the post, or till completion of the process of disinvestment, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest," the communication said.

Last month, the government's efforts for stake sale in the national carrier failed to take off after it failed to attract any initial bidders.

Under the proposed plan, the government was to sell 76 per cent stake in Air India along with complete divestment of low-cost arm Air India Express and a 50 per cent stake in Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt Ltd -- an equal joint venture with Singapore's SATS.

Last week, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu had said a plan was being prepared by the airline's management to ensure that it continues to operate efficiently.