Leading pulmonologist Randeep Guleria was on Friday appointed as the new Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, said an official statement.

Guleria, who heads the Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Disorders at AIIMS, was among the top three contenders whose names were sent to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for the post.

Guleria -- a Padma Shri awardee -- is credited with the establishment of India's first centre for pulmonary medicine and sleep disorders at AIIMS.

"The ACC has approved the appointment of Randeep Guleria, Professor and head of Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Disorders at the AIIMS, New Delhi, to the post of Director," said the statement.

Guleria will hold the post for five years.

The previous AIIMS Director Prof M.C. Misra retired on January 31 this year.