- Former Air India Cargo head Ramesh Mamidala is set to lead cargo operations at a major private airport, marking another high-profile exit.
- Air India Cargo continues to see leadership churn even as it reports 60% growth in volumes between FY23 and FY25.
- With top talent leaving, can Air India maintain momentum in its fast-expanding cargo business?
Ramesh Mamidala, former Head of Cargo at Air India, is reportedly set to join a major private airport, taking charge of its cargo operations. His exit from Air India, just days after stepping down, marks the latest in a series of senior departures from the national carrier’s cargo division.
Mamidala has wide experience: before joining Air India in March 2023, he was Chief Cargo Officer at Adani Airports Holdings for nearly four years. He was also in responsible positions at Celebi, Qatar Airways, and Emirates. Neither he nor Air India has disclosed the reason behind his sudden departure.
Meanwhile, Sanjeev Kapoor, former Assistant Vice President of Product Development at Air India, has moved to Unilode Aviation Solutions as Director. Kapoor boasts a deep legacy in cargo, having spent close to 35 years at Lufthansa Cargo, most recently heading Sales and Handling across Northern and Eastern India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
Mamidala isn’t the only high-profile cargo executive to part ways with Air India. Sudeep Narayan, who led International Sales Cargo, left the carrier in December 2024 after a little over a year in the role. So far, Air India has not named a replacement Head of Cargo, but it has been busy shoring up the division.
It appointed Vibhor Gupta as Vice President and Commercial Head, Cargo in April 2025. He was CFO at Chalobefore joining Air India. The airline also onboarded Gagan Gupta, who headed Fleetedge at Tata Motors, as Head of Cargo Operations in May 2025.
Against this backdrop of leadership reshuffle, Air India’s cargo business has been doing well. Rising freight demand and a booming e-commerce sector have enabled the carrier to expand its cargo network aggressively.
An Air India spokesperson was recently quoted by BusinessLine as saying that cargo volumes had grown by over 60% between FY23 and FY25, with the carrier handling over four lakh tonnes of cargo annually via its fleet of 242 narrow-body and 63 wide-body aircraft.
The airline has also diversified its cargo portfolio, enhancing capabilities to handle specialised consignments such as pharmaceuticals, valuables, vulnerable cargo, and live animals. Its international cargo footprint has also widened considerably, with over 50 direct international destinations now covered, further extended through trucking and interline partnerships.
With industry stalwarts reshuffling roles, the cargo business is clearly on the move. The big question now: what’s next for Air India Cargo?
