Pradeep Singh Kharola Returns to Air India as Executive Advisor
Pradeep Singh Kharola returns to Air India as Executive Advisor to Chairman N. Chandrasekaran as the airline prepares for a CEO leadership transition.
Punita Thakur 
NEW DELHI — Pradeep Singh Kharola has returned to Air India as Executive Advisor to Chairman N. Chandrasekaran with immediate effect. Kharola previously served as Chairman and Managing Director of Air India and later as Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation during the airline's privatisation process.
His return comes as Air India prepares for a leadership transition following the departure of CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson, whose tenure is in its final months.
Pradeep Singh Kharola Returns at a Critical Stage for Air India
Kharola's reappointment was announced internally by Campbell Wilson, who said his experience would be critical in ensuring a smooth handover to the incoming CEO. Wilson noted that Kharola's background across Air India and civil aviation governance makes him well placed for the transition role.
Air India is currently in the process of identifying a successor to Wilson. Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal and Vinod Kannan, former CEO of Vistara and Senior Vice President at Singapore Airlines, are among the leading contenders for the role.
Kharola's return also comes at a challenging period for the airline. Air India is managing the aftermath of the Ahmedabad crash that occurred on June 12, 2025, mounting financial pressures from the West Asia conflict and the continued closure of Pakistani airspace to Indian carriers.
Background and Career at Air India and Civil Aviation
Pradeep Kharola is a veteran civil servant who held the position of Chairman and Managing Director of Air India before the Tata Group acquired the airline through privatisation. He subsequently served as Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, where he was directly involved in overseeing the privatisation process from the government's side.
His return to the Tata Group-owned carrier marks his first formal role at the airline since its privatisation four years ago.
Air India is owned by the Tata Group and operates as India's largest full-service international carrier across domestic and global routes.
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