Vijay Amritraj resigns from board of Kingfisher Airlines

Former tennis star Vijay Amritraj has resigned from the board of the beleaguered air carrier Kingfisher Airlines (KFA).

"Vijay Amritraj has, because of increase in his travel schedule and commitments that will prevent him from attending any board meetings in 2012-13, resigned from the board of directors of the company," KFA said in a filing to the BSE today.

His resignation would be effective from March 14, the company added. With this development, the company will be left with just four board members, including one independent director.

Another board member, Diwan Arun Nanda, had quit late last year citing personal reasons. Chairman Vijay Mallya, vice-chairman Subhash Gupte, president and chief financial officer A K Ravi Nedungadi and ICAI member Anil Kumar Ganguly are the remaining directors on the company's board.

Amritraj, who was an independent director on the board, is a Padma Shri and runs the Vijay Amritraj Foundation.He is a designated United Nations Messenger of Peace and a recipient of the International Sportsman of the Year Award for the year 1987.

Amritraj was the youngest player to play Davis Cup for a country and represented India in the coveted tournament for several years.