Coal India appoints Mukesh Choudhary as interim HR Director

Coal India Limited (CIL) has appointed Mukesh Choudhary, its Director (Marketing), to hold the additional charge of Director (Human Resources) until a regular appointment is made. The move follows the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) declining to extend the tenure of the company's outgoing HR Director, Vinay Ranjan.

According to an official order accessed by PSU Watch, Choudhary will oversee the HR portfolio in addition to his existing responsibilities until a permanent Director (HR) assumes office.

Leadership transition follows ACC decision

The interim arrangement comes after the ACC decided not to extend Vinay Ranjan's tenure beyond 27 July 2026.

As reported earlier by PSU Watch, the decision was communicated through a Ministry of Coal order issued on 16 July. The order confirmed the government's approval for the non-extension of Ranjan's tenure.

Ranjan served as Director (HR) at Coal India from 28 July 2021.

The latest order ensures continuity in the company's HR leadership while the process to appoint a regular Director (HR) continues.

Experienced public sector executive takes on additional role

Mukesh Choudhary has been serving as Director (Marketing) at Coal India since 23 December 2022.

Before joining the company, he worked as Deputy Director General in the Department of Defence Production under the Ministry of Defence. He belongs to the 1996 batch of the Indian Ordnance Factory Services (IOFS).

His earlier experience in the coal sector includes more than six years in the Ministry of Coal as Director (Coal Production and Despatch), where his responsibilities covered:

• Monitoring coal production and supplies
• Overseeing transport logistics
• Supporting coal marketing policies

According to PSU Watch, this background gives Choudhary extensive exposure to both government administration and the coal industry.

Strong academic and board-level credentials

Choudhary brings a combination of technical, financial and management expertise to the additional assignment. His qualifications include:

• Mechanical Engineering (Honours) from Engineering College Kota
• Master of Financial Analysis (MFA)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

He has also served on the boards of several government-owned coal companies, including:

• Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL)
• South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL)
• Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL)
• Western Coalfields Limited (WCL)
• Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL)
• Neyveli Talabira Power Limited (NTPL)
• Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL)

Interim arrangement ensures continuity

The appointment reflects Coal India's effort to maintain leadership continuity in one of its key functional areas while the search for a permanent Director (Human Resources) continues.

As India's largest coal producer navigates evolving workforce, operational and business priorities, the interim leadership arrangement is expected to ensure uninterrupted oversight of its human resources function until a regular incumbent is appointed.