Trivedi is new chief of Indian

Vishwapati Trivedi, a 1977 batch IAS officer, on Saturday took over as the new chairman and managing director of public sector carrier Indian (formerly Indian Airlines).

Trivedi, who belongs to the Madhya Pradesh cadre, took over from Sushma Chawla, who was holding charge for the past seven months since the previous full-time CMD, Sunil Arora, completed his term and returned to his parent Rajasthan cadre.

Trivedi, who would have a five-year term, joins the airline at a time when it has placed a major order for 43 aircraft from the European manufacturer Airbus Industrie and is waiting in the wings to expand its international operations.

Before taking over, Trivedi was joint secretary in the Departmental of Industrial Policy and Promotion in the commerce ministry.

Besides a four-year stint with the International Monetary Fund, he has held key positions in Madhya Pradesh as the principal secretary (commerce & industry) and managing director of MP Financial Corporation.

A post-graduate from London School of Commerce and a doctorate in international finance from Simon Fraser University in Canada, Trivedi is also the vice president of the Badminton Association of India.