Mr K. Jose Cyriac, Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, and Mr Rohit Nandan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, are believed to be in the running for the top post in Air India.
As part of the revamp of the state-owned carrier, the Government is considering various options including appointing a Chairman-cum-Managing Director and two Deputy Managing Directors to help run its day-to-day affairs.
This new thinking comes in the backdrop of the airline reporting continued losses and rising debt. The airline has fallen behind on payments to many vendors and also delayed disbursing salaries to its employees.
The proposed new incumbent is likely to hold office only till such time as the Government is able to find a full-time CMD having a fixed tenure. At the moment, the CMD, Mr Arvind Jadhav, heads the airline and is assisted by a handful of directors. Mr Jadhav took over in May 2009 with a three-year term.
Interestingly, before Air India and Indian Airlines were merged, the post of Deputy Managing Director existed in Indian Airlines. The airline at one time had a woman, Ms Sushma Chawla, holding the post of Deputy Managing Director, a first for the airline at that time.
The debt-strapped airline is likely to get another tranche of cash infusion from the Government after the meeting of the Group of Ministers scheduled to be held on August 17.