IndiGo names Rahul Bhatia interim CEO after Pieter Elbers resigns following months of disruptions and flight delays
After taking charge, Bhatia said he feels strong responsibility towards the nation and IndiGo’s customers, employees and stakeholders
Rahul Bhatia, founded InterGlobe Enterprises in 1989 and now leads the group as managing director
India’s largest carrier, IndiGo, on Tuesday appointed managing director Rahul Bhatia as interim chief executive after Pieter Elbers resigned with immediate effect. The leadership change comes months after the airline witnessed major operational disruptions that caused widespread flight delays and left many passengers stranded.
The airline said Bhatia will handle the company’s affairs for now while the board looks for a new chief executive. “Rahul Bhatia, MD of IndiGo, shall in the interim assume management of the affairs of the airline until such time that the company announces the arrival of a new leader,” the airline confirmed in a statement.
After taking charge, Bhatia said, “Having founded and nurtured IndiGo for 22 years, I feel a deep sense of personal commitment and responsibility towards our nation and towards the airline’s customers, employees, shareholders and all other stakeholders.”
2 March 2026
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Who Is Rahul Bhatia?
Rahul Bhatia, 66, is the group managing director of InterGlobe Enterprises. He founded the company in 1989, starting with air transport management before expanding into aviation services, hospitality, logistics, technology and pilot training.
Bhatia studied electrical engineering at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. Over the years he built InterGlobe into a major travel and aviation services group with operations across several sectors linked to the airline industry.
He also co-founded IndiGo with Indian-American businessman Rakesh Gangwal. The two launched the airline in 2006 and played a key role in building it into India’s largest carrier.
However, the founders’ relationship strained after a public dispute in 2019. Gangwal later stepped down from IndiGo’s board in 2022 and has since been gradually cutting his stake in the airline.
Meanwhile, Bhatia received recognition for his work in business. In 2011 he won the Outstanding Start-Up honour at the Forbes India Leadership Awards. Five years later, Forbes included him in its list of Global Game Changers.
Rahul Bhatia’s Net Worth
According to Forbes, Rahul Bhatia’s net worth stands at about $6.5 billion as of March 2026, placing the IndiGo co-founder 557th on the global billionaire list.
