Government Appoints Praveen M. Khanooja as Interim CMD of Engineers India Limited
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Update (March 1, 2026): An earlier version of this report stated that Atul Gupta had taken over as Chairman and Managing Director of Engineers India Limited. However, as per the latest official communication filed with the stock exchanges, Shri Praveen M. Khanooja has been entrusted with the additional charge of CMD with effect from March 1, 2026. The report has been updated accordingly.
New Delhi, March 1, 2026: The Government of India has entrusted Shri Praveen M. Khanooja with the additional charge of Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Engineers India Limited (EIL) with effect from March 1, 2026.
The decision has been approved by the Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and communicated by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Shri Khanooja will hold the additional charge for a period of three months or until a regular CMD is appointed, whichever is earlier.
The disclosure was made to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited in compliance with SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015.
Who Is Shri Praveen M. Khanooja?
Shri Praveen M. Khanooja (DIN: 09746472) is a 1994-batch officer of the Indian Audit & Accounts Service (IA&AS) and is currently serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG).
He holds a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering and an M.Tech in Management & Systems. Over his career, he has worked across Defence Audit, Railways Audit, State Government Accounts & Audit, and various central government finance assignments.
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.
His previous roles include Director (Finance) in the Department of Revenue, Additional Director General in the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau, and Director General of the Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell. He has conducted compliance and performance audits involving international organizations such as FAO, WIPO, and WTO.
What Led to This Appointment
The CMD post 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, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has assigned Shri Khanooja the additional charge on an interim basis.
Likely Appointment of Regular CMD
The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) in November 2025 recommended Mr. Atul Gupta, currently Director (Commercial) at EIL, for the post of CMD.
His name has been forwarded to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for final approval. Upon approval by the ACC, he will be appointed as the full-time CMD of the company.
About Engineers India Limited
Established in 1965 and headquartered in New Delhi, Engineers India Limited is a Navratna public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. The company provides engineering consultancy and EPC services across oil & gas, petrochemicals, pipelines, infrastructure, and emerging energy sectors in India and overseas.
Stock Details
EIL shares are listed under Scrip Code 532178 on BSE and trade under the symbol “ENGINERSIN” on NSE.
The CMD appointment disclosure has been made in accordance with SEBI’s listing regulations.