NMRC Executive Director removed after calendar features his photos

NMRC calendar features IAS officer Lokesh M in two April photographs showing him playing the sitar and addressing an event (Express)

The Noida Authority on Friday removed Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) Executive Director Mahendra Prasad, appointing Krishna Karunesh, the Authority’s Additional Chief Executive Officer (CEO), in his place.

On Saturday, The Indian Express reported that the official 2026 calendar of NMRC featured Prasad’s photographs on the page for July, which also happened to be the month of his birthday. In the first photograph, Prasad – also the Officer on Special Duty in Noida Authority – can be seen walking in a corridor and in the second, addressing an event. A 2014-batch IAS officer, his birthday happens to fall on July 5.

Prasad had said on Friday that there was “nothing personal, nothing commercial” in the calendar. He had added that it was all in the government interest and not personal. “It’s not as if I have printed anyone’s photo who does not hold an official post,” he had said.

In a letter dated January 9, the Authority said, “In the immediate interest of the Authority’s work, Shri Krishna Karunesh, Additional Chief Executive Officer, Noida, is nominated as the Executive Director, Noida Metro Rail Corporation, in place of Shri Mahendra Prasad, Officer on Special Duty, Noida, with immediate effect.”

As per the letter, the “said order was issued with the approval of the Chief Executive Officer, Noida and the Managing Director, Noida Metro Rail Corporation Limited”, Lokesh M, whose photographs also featured in the NMRC calendar.

The calendar carried two photographs of Lokesh M, a 2005-batch IAS officer, for the month of April. His birthday falls on April 3. In one photograph, the officer can be seen playing the sitar and in the other, addressing an event.

Lokesh M had told The Indian Express on Friday that his photographs had been used without his permission. He had also said that he had issued a “show-cause notice” to the officials concerned as soon as he came to know about the matter. The photograph was taken when he played Vande Mataram on the stage at Noida Authority’s Independence Day celebration, he had added.

However, in a purported photograph taken recently, Lokesh M could be seen posing with the calendar that featured his photographs, while other officials clapped.

Though he did not respond to calls and messages on Saturday, an official said, “The show-cause notice was issued on the day the CEO learnt about the photographs. We are confirming when it was issued.”