Sushma Chawla, deputy managing director, Indian Airlines, on Sunday took charge as the acting chairperson and managing director of the company, becoming the first woman to hold the top position.
Chawla took over from Sunil Arora who had headed Indian Airlines for five years, an Indian Airlines release said.
Chawla joined the state-owned domestic carrier in 1971 as an executive and moved up to be the first woman director of the company in 1996.
She also headed the northern region as the airline's regional director and then as director (finance) before being promoted as deputy managing director in September 2004.