In a significant appointment, the central government has named Ashwani Lohani (IRSME:1980), former Chairman of the Railway Board and ex-Chief of Air India, as the new Director of the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML), New Delhi. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (June 4, 2025), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Lohani’s appointment for a period of three years on a contract basis, in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India.
His appointment comes several months after the tenure of former Power Secretary Sanjiv Nandan Sahai (Retd. IAS:1986:AGMUT) ended. In the interim, Lily Pandeya (IRPS:1998), Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, had been holding additional charge of the PMML. She was formally entrusted with the post on May 12, 2025, with retrospective effect from April 15, 2025.
Ashwani Lohani brings to the position a wealth of experience in both government service and public sector enterprises. He served twice as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India and was appointed Chairman of the Railway Board in 2017. His tenure was marked by key reform efforts in India’s transportation infrastructure.
After retiring from government service, Lohani joined the GMR Group as Chief Executive Officer, where he oversaw infrastructure initiatives in the private sector. His earlier appointments include heading the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) in 2001 and serving as Commissioner and Managing Director of the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (MPTDC) in 2004. He is widely credited with turning around both organizations.
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