Who Is Pradeep Singh Kharola, Tata Sons’ New Aviation Business Advisor?

Tata Sons has reportedly brought in a new advisor for its aviation unit, Air India, amid regulatory hurdles faced by the company. According to The Economic Times, the group has onboarded former civil aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola.

The newspaper reports that Kharola, who also once served as Air India chairman, will lead the airline’s communication with the government as it faces severe regulatory scrutiny. The 1985-batch Indian Administrative Services officer from the Karnataka cadre had headed the PSU Air India between 2017 and 2019 before being appointed Civil Aviation Secretary of India.

He also played a key role in Air India’s privatisation process, in which Tata Group emerged as the winner in 2021 and took over the airline in January 2022.

Why Tatas Brought in Kharola?

Kharola’s appointment comes at a time when Air India is facing heightened scrutiny following last year’s crash of a Boeing 787 aircraft that killed 260 people. Over the past two years, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued 84 show-cause notices to Air India, while its low-cost arm, Air India Express, received 65.

Last week, the DGCA fined Air India ₹1 crore for operating an aircraft eight times without an airworthiness permit. The regulator also reportedly held CEO Campbell Wilson responsible, stating the lapse had eroded public trust in aviation safety.

Citing sources, ET claimed that Kharola was handpicked by Tata Sons chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran. The Tata Group chair has been closely involved in the airline’s functioning post-crash, especially in government interactions and safety reviews.

Senior leadership at the Tata Group has reportedly raised concerns over gaps in communication with government stakeholders, with some officials engaging directly with top group executives.