The Hindu Business Line : Many in the race for ONGC top post

The hunt for new Chairman and Managing Director of Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) has gathered momentum with the last date for receiving applications for the post closing today.

The CMD's post fell vacant after Mr Subir Raha demitted office in May on expiry of his five-year term.

Sources said more than 10 candidates are in the fray. The Ministry would be forwarding these names to the Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB). The last date for receipt of applications given by the Ministry was July 15 and that of PESB was July 19.

The names in the reckoning for the top job include that of the Director-General Hydrocarbons, Mr V.K. Sibal, and the ONGC's Acting Chairman and Managing Director, Mr R.S. Sharma, sources told Business Line.

Most of the functional directors of the company have also applied for the position. The Director (Human Resources), Mr A.K. Balyan, the Director (Exploration), Mr D.K. Pande, the Director (Offshore), Mr N.K. Mittra, and the Director (Onshore), Mr A.K. Hazarika, also feature in the list of applicants.

Besides, the functional Directors of ONGC, two Directors of GAIL (India) Ltd - Mr U.D. Choubey, Director (Marketing), and Mr M.R. Hingikar, Director (Human Resources) - are also among the applicants.

Three non-directors from the company have also applied. Sources said a chief executive of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd's subsidiary has also applied.

Also, the Managing Director of ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), Mr R.S. Butola, and a Director of Indian Oil Corporation have reportedly applied.