New Delhi: Setting aside all speculation, the Centre has appointed ONGC Executive Director Sunil Kumar as the next Chairman of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). The choice came amid speculation over a possible further extension for outgoing Chairman Arun Kumar Singh and discussions around the names of candidates shortlisted for the post. Instead, the government has picked an executive from within ONGC who will become the first chairman to rise directly from the Executive Director rank, whereas previous chairmen typically held board-level positions before taking charge.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved Kumar’s appointment on October 22, 2026, following a proposal from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas based on the recommendation of the Search-cum-Selection Committee. The committee held two rounds of interviews to select Singh’s successor.
Kumar will take charge on or after December 7, 2026, when Singh’s extended tenure ends. His appointment is for a combined tenure of three years, including a contractual stint after his superannuation on December 31, 2028.
Sunil Kumar’s name emerges after two rounds of interviews
The selection process had entered its final stage after 18 applicants were screened on August 18, with seven candidates shortlisted for interviews. The list included Oil India Limited CMD Ranjit Rath, ONGC Videsh Limited MD Rajarshi Gupta, ONGC directors Vikram Saxena and Satyam Kumar, ONGC Videsh Director Dulal Halder, MRPL Director Devendra Kumar and Indian Oil Corporation Director S P Shrivastava.
Rath was seen as a strong contender for the post and was making a second attempt after being shortlisted in the previous selection process. The government had subsequently extended Arun Kumar Singh’s tenure instead. This time, the Centre has chosen Sunil Kumar, an ONGC executive, to take over the reins of the company.
More than three decades with ONGC
Kumar joined ONGC in 1991 as an Assistant Executive Engineer (Production) in Assam. He has since worked across key exploration and production projects and is currently the Executive Director and Asset Manager of the company’s Mehsana Asset, a role he took up in January 2025.
During his career, Kumar played a key role in planning and executing ONGC’s first deepwater project, Vasistha & S1, on the East Coast. He also led the planning, coordination and execution of a major shallow-water subsea project involving the drilling, completion and bringing into production of 11 subsea wells. The project has been described as India’s largest shallow-water subsea project.
Kumar graduated in petroleum engineering from the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, now IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. He also holds a postgraduate qualification in business management, specialising in marketing and finance.
Arun Kumar Singh to leave office in December
Arun Kumar Singh took over as ONGC Chairman in December 2022 for a three-year term. His tenure was later extended, and he is due to leave office on December 6, 2026, with Kumar set to take charge from December 7.
Singh’s extension and the search for his successor had kept the leadership transition in focus. With Kumar’s appointment, the government has now named the person who will lead ONGC after Singh’s departure.
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