Shri S. Machendranathan, took over as Chairperson, Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India on March 09, 2015.

Shri Machendranathan who hails from Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu had a distinguished academic career. After completing MBA from Cochin University, he joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1977 and thereafter the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1979.

An IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, Shri S. Machendranathan held several important positions in the Government of Tamil Nadu and in the Government of India. In the Government of Tamil Nadu, he worked as Collector of Thanjavur District; Commissioner/ Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu in the Departments of Transport, Food, Cooperation and Consumer Protection; Chairman of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board. And in the Government of India, he worked as Chairman of Tuticorin Port Trust; Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor in the Ministry of Steel as well as in the Ministry of Civil Aviation and finally as Secretary (Coordination) in Cabinet Secretariat, before superannuating from the Government Service in March, 2014.

He has also served as Government Director in several Public Sector companies such as Air India, Airports Authority of India, Steel Authority of India Limited, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited and Metallurgical & Engineering Consultants (India) Limited