Neet ug row: On Saturday, the central government named Pradeep Singh Kharola as the new head of the National Testing Agency (NTA). Who is Pradeep Kharola He is replacing Subodh Singh. Pradeep Kharola is currently serving as the Chairman and Managing Director of the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). He will take on this additional role until a new Director is appointed. Prior to this, Kharola was in charge of Air India before its privatization. He took on the role of Air India’s head during a period when the government was finalizing the details of privatizing the national airline. Before this, he served as the Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC). Pradeep Kharola wiki Pradeep Kharola, a 1985 batch IAS officer from Karnataka. He has a rich history in various roles. From 2012 to 2013, he served as the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Karnataka.He also led the Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) in Karnataka. He secures funds from international institutions for urban infrastructure development.Moreover, the 62-year-old bureaucrat has experience as the Joint Secretary of the National Administrative Reform Commission.Over the course of his distinguished career, Kharola has specialized in urban governance, urban public transport, and policy formulation. He is well-known for his ability to rejuvenate public transport entities and make them financially sustainable.In 2000, he successfully turned around Bangalore’s city bus service, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, from a loss-making enterprise to a profitable one.In recognition of his exceptional contributions, he received the National Award for e-governance in 2012 and the Prime Minister’s Outstanding Public Administration Award in 2013.Originally from Uttarakhand, Kharola completed his mechanical engineering degree from Indore University in 1982. He then pursued a Post Graduation in Industrial Engineering from IIT Delhi in 1984, where he excelled academically.Additionally, he holds a Masters in Development Management from the Asian Institute of Management in Manila, Philippines.
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