New Delhi: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has entrusted Mr. Praveen M. Khanooja with the additional charge of Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Engineers India Limited (EIL) for a period of three months with effect from March 1, 2026.
The decision has been approved by the Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and formally communicated to the company.
Update: Correction Regarding CMD Appointment
An earlier version of this report had stated that Mr. Atul Gupta had taken over as CMD of Engineers India Limited. However, as per the latest official communication filed with the stock exchanges, Mr. Praveen M. Khanooja has been assigned the additional charge of CMD effective March 1, 2026. The report has been updated accordingly.
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Appointment Details and Tenure
Mr. Khanooja will hold the additional charge for three months or until a regular CMD is appointed, whichever is earlier.
The disclosure was made to:
- BSE Limited
- National Stock Exchange of India Limited
This was done in compliance with the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015.
Who Is Mr. Praveen M. Khanooja?
Mr. Praveen M. Khanooja (DIN: 09746472) is a 1994-batch officer of the Indian Audit & Accounts Service (IA&AS). He is currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
Educational Background
- B.Tech in Chemical Engineering
- M.Tech in Management & Systems
Professional Experience
Over his distinguished career, Mr. Khanooja has held several key positions across government departments, including:
- Defence Audit
- Railways Audit
- State Government Accounts & Audit
- Director (Finance), Department of Revenue
- Additional Director General, Central Economic Intelligence Bureau
- Director General, Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell
He has also served as Government Nominee Director on the Board of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and was re-appointed for another three-year term.
Additionally, he has conducted compliance and performance audits involving international organizations such as FAO, WIPO, and WTO.
Reason Behind the Interim Appointment
The CMD position at Engineers India Limited became vacant following the superannuation of Ms. Vartika Shukla on February 28, 2026. She had been serving as CMD since April 23, 2021, and was the first woman to head the company.
To ensure continuity in leadership and operational stability, the Ministry has assigned Mr. Khanooja the additional charge on an interim basis.
Likely Appointment of Regular CMD
In November 2025, the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) recommended Mr. Atul Gupta, currently Director (Commercial) at EIL, for the CMD position.
His name has been forwarded to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for final approval. Upon clearance from the ACC, he is expected to assume charge as the full-time CMD.
Regulatory Compliance
Engineers India Limited has complied with regulatory norms by informing stock exchanges about the leadership transition under SEBI’s LODR Regulations, 2015. The company has also indicated that additional details as required under relevant SEBI circulars will be submitted in due course.
About Engineers India Limited (EIL)
Established in 1965, Engineers India Limited is a leading public sector engineering consultancy and EPC company under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. EIL provides design, engineering, procurement, construction, and project management services across hydrocarbons, petrochemicals, infrastructure, and energy sectors in India and overseas.
