Engineers India Limited: Praveen M. Khanooja Given Additional Charge of CMD
The CMD elect - Atul Gupta is expected to assume charge as the full-time CMD as his name is cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)
The Ministry of Petroleum & 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, effective March 1, 2026.
The decision has been approved by the Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and formally communicated to the company.
Correction Regarding CMD Appointment
An earlier version of this report had stated that 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 with effect from March 1, 2026. The report has been updated accordingly.
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
The filing was carried out in compliance with the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015.
Who Is Praveen Khanooja?
Mr. 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.
Educational Background
- B.Tech in Chemical Engineering
- M.Tech in Management & Systems
Professional Experience
Over his distinguished career, he has held several important positions, 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), where he was re-appointed for another three-year term.
Additionally, he has conducted compliance and performance audits involving international organisations such as FAO, WIPO and WTO.
Reason Behind the Interim Appointment
The CMD position at Engineers India Limited fell 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 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 receiving clearance, 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 also stated that additional disclosures, as required under relevant SEBI circulars, will be submitted in due course.
