The Hindu Business Line : Race begins today for ONGC top job

A search panel headed by the Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) Chairman, Mr N.K. Sinha, will hold interviews on June 5-6 to select the Chairman and Managing Director of the exploration giant.

The interviews assume significance as the names of earlier candidates short-listed after interviews conducted by the PESB in August 2006 was returned by the PMO.

Those in the race for the job include Mr R.S. Sharma, acting Chairman of ONGC; Mr A.K. Balyan, Director (HR); Mr A.K. Hazarika, Director (Onshore); Mr D.K. Pande, Director (Exploration); Mr U.N. Bose, Director (Technical Services); and Mr R.S. Butola, Managing Director, ONGC Videsh.

Besides, Mr M.R. Hingnikar, Director (HR) of GAIL (India) Ltd; Mr M.N. Prasad, CEO, Prize Petroleum; and Mr Najeeb Jung, associated with Oxford Institute of Energy Studies, are in the reckoning.

Mr Jung was formerly Joint Secretary (Exploration) in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and is also associated with the Observer Foundation.

The search committee comprises the Petroleum Secretary, Mr M.S. Srinivasan, the former Finance Secretary, Mr Vijay Kelkar, the IIM-Ahmedabad Director, Mr Bakul Dholakia, and PESB members.

The names of other candidates who will be interviewed during the course of two days include the BSNL CGM, Mr Ashok Golas; the Singareni Collieries Director, Mr J.V. Dattreyulu; IPS officer Mr M.V. Krishna Rao; IAS officers Mr Sudhir Kumar and Mr S.N. Mohanty; ITAT member Mr V.K. Gupta; and Mr Arun Bhagra of Eastern Central Railways.

Some of the private sector players who are in the race are PL Agro Tech Managing Director, Mr A. Sankar; the PPML Managing Director, Mr Barla Venkateshwarlu; Surya Roshni President Mr B.B. Pradhan; Vestas RRB India President Mr Bikramaditya Raha; and the Essar Oil Vice-President, Mr H.N. Belawat.