The Centre has appointed senior bureaucrat Vikram Dev Dutt as the Chairman and Managing Director of Air India, just days before the Tata Group takes over the airline.

Dutt will take over from Union Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal, who was holding additional charge of the airline. Bansal was appointed CMD of Air India in August 2017 and was elevated to the post of Union Aviation Secretary last September.

At present, Dutt holds the position of Principal Secretary (Tourism) in the Delhi government.

Also read: Govt to hand over Air India to Tatas by January end; Vikram Dev Dutt appointed new CMD of airlines

As per reports, the Tata takeover of Air India may be delayed as the completion of procedures is taking time. The salt-to-software conglomerate, which was supposed to take over Air India from the government in January, is likely to complete the process only after the budget on February 1, ET Now reported. Dutt’s appointment at this stage is a clear indication of the delay in takeover, the report said.

Who is Vikram Dev Dutt?

Vikram Dev Dutt is a 1993 batch IAS officer from the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre. Born on September 17, 1969, Dutt is a resident of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He has done his B.Tech in electronics and PG diploma in business administration in organisational behaviour from the Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad, before joining public services.

Dutt served as the principal secretary at the Health and Family Welfare Department of Delhi government from June 2020 to March 2021. He played a key role in the state’s efforts to contain the COVID-19 cases in the national capital.

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In March last year, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal transferred Dutt to the services department, where he held the post of principal secretary.

Earlier, Dutt served had as the principal secretary for finance for Andaman and Nicobar Islands between 2018 and 2020. He was also the secretary of tourism for the Goa government and the managing director of India Tourism Development Corporation.

Dutt also did stints in the ministries of textiles, sports and defence at the Centre.

Rank and pay

Dutt will head Air India in the rank and pay of additional secretary, PTI reported, quoting the order issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

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(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)