New Delhi: In a high-profile exit, Vodafone Idea’s director, regulatory and corporate affairs, P Balaji has resigned and will be relieved on January 10. He is likely to join Air India shortly as head of corporate and regulatory affairs.Balaji was the key person who used to interact with officials in the government, the loss-making company’s largest shareholder. He is leaving amid the efforts of the cash-strapped telco to raise critical funding.“We wish to inform you that P Balaji, chief regulatory and corporate affairs officer of the company has resigned. Accordingly, he will cease to be a senior management personnel of the company w.e.f. close of business hours on January 10, 2024,” Vodafone Idea (Vi) said in a regulatory filing.Air India didn’t offer a comment to ET’s emailed query.ET got to know about Balaji’s plan to depart from Vi a couple of months ago and a mail was sent to the telco on October 31. The firm, however, denied that he was considering moving out. ET then sent a follow up query regarding Balaji’s resignation in January 2, but the company did not share a comment.As per Vodafone Idea’s regulatory filing, the company has said that Balaji resigned on January 2 and sought a waiver of the contractual notice period obligation.“I appreciate the opportunity given to me by Vodafone Idea to serve for over 9 years and am proud of the work we have done together to help transform the company. However, at this point in my life, I am eager to pursue my personal and professional goals outside of VIL. Accordingly, I would like to resign from the services of the company with immediate effect,” Balaji said in his resignation.The carrier closed Wednesday 0.9% lower at Rs15.89 on the BSE.The company, which is struggling to raise funds, Tuesday denied any talks with Elon Musk-owned Starlink for a stake sale. The shares of the company had hit a 52-week high intraday Monday, gaining nearly 40% in two trading sessions after a media report emerged on the Starlink talks.The company, for the past three years, has been struggling to raise funds which are needed to pay its large vendors like Indus Towers and the government, expand 4G coverage and invest in 5G rollout to compete effectively with bigger rivals Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.The loss-making company’s cash and cash equivalents declined to Rs 119.6 crore at the end of September from Rs 250 crore three months earlier.Chief executive Akshaya Moondra had earlier said that discussions with potential investors would close in the December quarter, followed by debt funding from banks. But ET reported that the equity fundraising had been delayed and might close in this January-March quarter.While Vodafone Idea had earlier announced that it was looking to mobilise about Rs 20,000 crore from a mix of debt and equity, the company has lately been refraining from giving an update on the plan.Govt relaxes certain quality control order norms for AC industryIndia’s top 8 office markets record second-best annual absorption in 2023Fuel price cut: Held no discussions with OMCs on petrol & diesel price cut, says Oil Minister PuriIIT Kanpur files record 122 IPRs in 2023India’s TV, digital video revenues are projected to reach $17 billion by 2028Airlines asked to do justice with passengers in case of flight delays, cancellationsAnupam Kaura joins Kotak Mahindra Bank as CHROFederation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) appoints IHCL MD and CEO Puneet Chhatwal as chairmanIndia’s housing market at an all-time high in 2023, growth pace likely to sustain in 2024Vivo money laundering case: Delhi HC bars interim CEO, 2 others from leaving India