1982 batch IAS Rohit Nandan may become Air India’s new Maharaja

Rohit Nandan, a 1982 batch UP cadre IAS, is likely to be appointed as Air India’s new chairman and managing director (CMD) in place of 1978 batch IAS Arvind Jadhav who could be made additional secretary in revenue department. According to sources, Nandan may initially be appointed as an interim CMD of the troubled national carrier. An MA in history and MBA from Britain’s University of Hull, Nandan has been a joint secretary in the civil aviation ministry from December 2009.

Who can do the magic?

Nandan has been in good books of the cabinet secretariat for quite sometime, as he was handpicked by former cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar as one of the 10 bureaucrat commanders to do the last-minute fire-fighting ahead of the last year’s Commonwealth Games. He was also given additional charge of the post of Commissioner of Security in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). Nandan has also served as a director in the board of Pawan Hans Helicopter Ltd.

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Action and Appointments

a) The ACC has approved the extension of the additional charge of the post of secretary, department of information technology, assigned to Rentala Chandrasekhar, a 1975 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, for a period of three months.

b) The competent authority has approved the premature repatriation of AK Patnaik, a 1977 batch Indian Audit and Accounts Service officer and advisor inter state council secretariat to his parent cadre in order to enable him to avail the benefit of promotion to the next higher grade in the cadre.

Safe Landing: IAS hires his junior with a Rs 3 crore annual pay package

IMAGINE you are a powerful IAS officer but find your immediate junior earning whopping 25 times more than you earn! It’s not a tale to tell, but a real-life case in India’s national carrier Air India.

Yes, you have guessed it right by now. Air India’s new chief operating officer (COO) Gustav Baldauf will earn a fixed salary of Rs 16.5 lakh per month with a variable component of Rs 9.5 lakh per month. He will report to Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav, who happens to be a Karnataka cadre IAS officer of 1978 batch. According to media report, CMD in Air India receives a monthly salary of Rs 1.2 lakh to 1.4 lakh, meaning that Mr Baldauf’s fixed salary itself will be about 15 times more than that of Mr Jadhav, and about 25 times more if Mr Baldauf enables to get the full variable package by achieving all targets set jointly by COO and CMD before they are approved by AI Board.

Mr Jadhav, who has received flaks for not being able to effectively run the show properly, may not however mind his junior getting much more salary as Mr Baldauf who was in Jet Airways as vice-president some years ago, is expected to play a crucial role in Air India’s turnaround saga. For Mr Jadhav, it seems, negotiating air pockets and ensuring a safe landing hold the key for his future journey.

Gujarat cadre IAS probationary officers meet Narendra Modi

Six new Gujarat cadre IAS probationary officers on Wednesday called on Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi at his office in Gandhinagar. These IAS trainee officers of year 2009-11 batch are Ratankunvar Gadhvi Charan, Vijaykumar Lalubhai Kharadi, Kuldeep Arya, Nagarajan M, Pravina DK, and Sonali Giri. They are now serving in Dahod, Tapi, Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan and Narmada districts respectively.

Commanding officer killed in operations

The Commanding Officer of 18 Rashtriya Rifles Colonel Neeraj Sood was killed while carrying out counter insurgency operations at Kuligam in Kupwara district in J&K on Tuesday night. A first divisioner from Kendriya Vidyalaya Andrew Ganj, the officer is a resident of Delhi. Colonel Neeraj Sood was commissioned into 8 Rajputana Rifles, in December 1992, and is an alumni of National Defence Academy. A keen sportsman, the officer had extensive counter insurgency experience. The officer is survived by his wife, Priti, a home maker and an 11-year-old daughter Mishika, who is studying in class V.

RTI Raj: Now it unearths no of free tickets doled out to Air India CMD’s family

IF YOU are an Indian bureaucrat with a mindset that everything is manageable, think twice. The Right To Information (RTI) tool is now increasingly used to extract information on what you write on files, say in internal meetings, and now even what you get free at the cost of the exchequer. And yes, you cannot un-mute your anger against the RTI Act, which is incidentally packaged as an achievement by the current UPA government. As was reported in a national newspaper a couple of days before, an RTI application filed by activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal revealed how the definition of family has been expanded over the years for the purpose of getting free tickets. No wonder, according to rules, CMD’s “spouse, children, parents, brothers, sisters, son-in-law/daughter-in-law” are eligible for such free tickets, and he could even expand the family to include virtually any relative for free travel on “compassionate grounds.” The RTI findings have further revealed the number of free tickets availed by some of the previous Air India chiefs. As the national carrier is mounting losses and is virtually on bankruptcy, the rule of doling out free tickets to any one and everyone of the CMD’s family is bound to be under scrutiny. Significantly, it’s a post held by a senior civil servant. The current CMD Arvind Jadhav is a 1978 batch IAS.

Disclaimer: The picture used here is symbolic, not real. Straight From Files Know Your Babu: Arvind Jadhav, IAS (May 4, 2009) Brinda Karat’s use of RTI to obtain what additional secretary Mayaram said (September 28, 2009)

IAS turned politician dies Madhya Pradesh unit of the BJP lost a prized member recently when former IAS officer Hoshiar Singh died after a brief illness at a hospital in Bhopal. After his retirement from over three decades long administrative work, this 1976 batch MP cadre IAS joined the BJP recently. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in his condolence message said that the state lost a finest administrative officer.

Indian Railways bails out stranded Air India passengers across country

MANY stranded Air India passengers including bureaucrats of various ranks had to board trains to continue their journey on Tuesday as India’s national carrier was severely disrupted thanks to the ongoing strike by senior pilots beginning Saturday last. In fact, many senior government employees who by rules had to take Air India to avail of LTC claims for their vacation virtually hit the air-pockets because of the sudden development in Air India. Significantly, Indian Railways swung into action and set up train passenger reservation counters and ‘May I Help You’ booths at all important airports throughout the country on Tuesday for the convenience of stranded passengers who want to travel by trains. What’s more, zonal railways were asked to coordinate with airline officials to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers for using train travel option. Stranded passengers were asked to contact the nearest passenger reservation centres or visit the website http://www.irctc.co.in for e-ticket. Railways minister Mamata Banerjee further stepped in to bail out Air passengers by announcing that additional coaches could also be tagged on to superfast trains to carry the passengers. Also, the railways would run special trains from Wednesday to carry the air passengers from Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Bangalore to their respective destinations. She also asked union minister of state for shipping Mukul Roy to run an additional service of the Shipping Corporation of India on Wednesday to bring back the air passengers stranded in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Meanwhile, it was a tough day for senior civil aviation officials including secretary M Madhavan Nambiar and Director General of DGCA who on Tuesday met the representatives of all the airlines to ensure that passengers traveling by Air India had to undergo minimum inconvenience due to cancellation, re-routing and merging of Air India flights. Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav is also an IAS of 1978 batch.

Lt Gen Badhani takes over as DG Border Roads Lieutenant General M C Badhani took over as the 20th Director General Border Roads in place of Lieutenant General A K Nanda. The BRO, which was established in 1960, has earned the reputation of being the only road construction agency to maintain roads in difficult and inhospitable terrain and climate. An alumnus of National Defence Academy Khadakvasla, Pune, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad and National Defence College, New Delhi, Lieutenant General Badhani had an illustrious service in the Army for 38 years.

A possible strike by Air India pilots may play spoilsport for Indian bureaucrats' vacation during this festive season

IF YOU have planned a vacation during this festive season to claim LTC (Leave Travel Concession), this piece of news is bound to disturb you. Four hundred Air India pilots are now threatening to go on mass leave in protest against up to 50% reduction in their productivity-linked incentives (PLIs). The impact could be worse than that of the recent Jet Airways strike if junior pilots of the national carrier too join their seniors who now say that they were not consulted before the management had decided to reduce their incentives, media reports said. For government employees, the strike could be a disaster as many officers might have booked their family vacations for the coming Diwali season only in Air India after the government had issued a directive saying that LTC could be claimed if one takes an Air India flight. Significantly, Arvind Jadhav, the Managing Director of NACIL, the company that runs Air India, is himself an IAS of 1978 batch. In a related development, the Air India is now looking for a Chief Operating Officer (COO) for which the company has given advertisements in leading financial dailies abroad. Read, Know Your Babu: Arvind Jadhav, posted on May 4, 2009 Also read, Officials must travel by Air India to claim LTC, clarifies DoPT, July 28, 2009 Action & Appointments a) Ms K Sujatha Rao, a 1974 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, is the country’s new health secretary. She is currently serving as secretary, department of AIDS control under the ministry of health and family welfare. She has been appointed in place of Naresh Dayal, a 1972 batch UP cadre IAS who is retiring on September 30, 2009. b) Ms Rani Jadhav, a 1970 batch Maharashtra cadre IAS (retired) has been appointed as chairman of Tariff Authority for Major Ports for a period of five years or until 65 years of age or until further orders. c) Ms Maya S Sinha, a 1981 batch IRS, Deputy Chairman, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust will not be entitled to a total deputation period of 7 years. Her tenure may be terminated on October 19, 2009. d) J Lhungdim, IDAS (84) has been appointed as Planning Advisor in the North-Eastern Council (NEC) secretariat (joint secretary level) at Shillong, Meghalaya under the ministry of development of North-Eastern Region (DONER). e) The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the repatriation of S V Ranganath, a 1975 batch Karnataka cadre IAS, presently Member (Finance), Space Commission, Atomic Energy Commission and Earth Commission to his cadre. f) Ms Leena Nandan, a 1987 batch UP cadre IAS, presently working as joint secretary, ministry of tourism, has been appointed as Project Director to the Host Broadcaster Team in Doordarshan in the Pay Band of Rs 37400-67000 (PB 4) plus grade pay of Rs 10,000 up to March 31, 2011. g) T K Pandey, a 1987 batch Orissa cadre IAS will now be a Joint Secretary in the Planning Commission in the vacancy of R Sridharan in modification of the earlier order of the ACC dated 23rd June, 2009 for appointment of Mr Pandey as DDG, UIDAI under the Planning Commission. h) The tenure of BV Wanchoo, a 1976 batch IPS as Director, Special Protection Group has been extended for a period of one year beyond September 28, 2009 or until further orders. i) Ms K Ganga, IA&AS of 1981 batch 81 has been appointed as Deputy Director General, in the Unique Identification Authority of India (joint secretary level) under the Planning Commission for a period of five years. j) The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal of the ministry power, for premature repatriation of Jayant S Kawale, a 1981 batch Maharashtra cadre IAS, presently working as joint secretary in that ministry, to his parent Cadre subject to the condition of ‘extended Cooling-off’.

Know Your Babu: Arvind Jadhav, IAS, CMD, NACIL (Air India, Indian)

Name: Arvind Jadhav

Assumes office as the new Chairman and Managing Director of National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL) on Monday. Batch & Cadre: 1978 batch IAS of Karnataka cadre Date of Birth: 05/06/1956 Place of Domicile: Uttar Pradesh Mother Tongue: Marathi Indian Languages Known: English, Marathi, Kannada and Hindi Foreign Languages Known: French and German

Educational Qualifications Masters Degree Geography, First division PG diploma, International Trade IIFT, New Delhi

Graduation Kanpur University with English, Economics, History, First division Some Major Postings * Assistant Commission, Mysore, Land Revenue Management & District Adminstration ( From 01/08/1980 to 01/05/1982) * Managing Director Karnataka Silk Marketing Board (From 01/12/1984 to 01/05/1986) * Managing Director Mysore Minerals Ltd * Joint Secretary Union Ministry of Power, (From 05/07/2001 to 04/01/2007) * Principal Secretary Joint Secretary Level - Infrastructure Development Department, Bangalore Foreign Trainings Diploma of Export Promotion (4 weeks in Italy in 1987) MBA in Personnel & General Admn 1-year in Australia in 1998)

(Inside an Air India plane: Will the Maharaja see a turnaround?)