Former CMD of Air India Ashwani Lohani appointed PMML director

New Delhi: Former CMD of Air India and ex-chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani has been appointed as the director of the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML).

A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME), he is known for turning around various organisations during his illustrious career.

He has retired from the IRSME service.

The government has approved his appointment to the "post of Director, Prime Ministers Museum and Library in the rank and pay of Secretary to the government of India, on contract basis for three years from the date of assumption of charge, or until further orders whichever is earlier," according to an official order dated June 4.

Lohani earlier served as the chairman and managing director (CMD) of Air India and as the Railway Board chairman.

He also has many records to his credit.

Lohani holds a Limca Record for having four engineering degrees in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, metallurgical engineering and electronics and telecommunication engineering from Institution of Engineers (India), Kolkata.

He also has a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for successfully reviving and running the 'Fairy Queen', the world's oldest working steam locomotive.

The government early his year had reconstituted the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) Society with former Union minister Smriti Irani and noted filmmaker Shekhar Kapur finding a place in it.

The key decision-making body of the PMML is helmed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its president, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as vice-president.

PMML is housed in Teen Murti Bhawan here.