Navy Veteran RAdm Raghuram Assumes Charge as CMD of Defence Ministry's Miniratna DPSU HSL
Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) on July 2 announced that Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram, VSM (Retd.), has taken over as its Chairman and Managing Director.
New Delhi: Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) on July 2 announced that Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram, VSM (Retd.), has taken over as its Chairman and Managing Director.
Raghuram was commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 10, 1989, and has over 35 years of service to his credit, with a career built around naval engineering, ship maintenance, strategic planning, and command leadership. He received the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2017. He studied at the Naval College of Engineering, Lonavala, followed by Cranfield University in the UK, the Naval War College, and the National Defence College.
His operational background covers afloat postings on INS Gomati and INS Trishul — including as part of Trishul's commissioning crew — as well as technical assignments at the Naval Dockyard, the Afloat Support Team for Talwar Class Ships, and WESEE, giving him exposure to equipment life cycle support and combat system integration.
Before this appointment, he was Assistant Chief of Materiel, overseeing maintenance of key naval platforms. Earlier in his career, he commanded INS Valsura, served as Principal Director Electrical Engineering at Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy), was Command Electrical Officer at Eastern Naval Command, and held the post of Chief Staff Officer (Technical) at Western Naval Command, in addition to senior roles at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, and Naval Headquarters.
HSL said the new CMD's mandate is to strengthen the company's position as a strategic defence shipyard and support India's self-reliance objectives in maritime defence manufacturing.
Company profile
From an investor and industry standpoint, HSL's credentials are notable on several counts. It is one of India's oldest shipyards, giving it an established base of technical expertise and infrastructure built up over decades.
Its classification as a Greenfield Miniratna Central Public Sector Undertaking affords it greater operational and financial autonomy than many comparable PSUs, a status typically tied to sustained performance credibility.
Strategically, its core strength lies in submarine construction and repair — a high-value, high-complexity segment within the defence manufacturing ecosystem — supplemented by the manufacture of specialised vessels such as Diving Support Vessels.
The company's financial trajectory has also drawn attention: HSL has moved from being a loss-making unit to a profit-making one in recent years, a turnaround that reflects tighter execution, better order-book management and improving operational metrics. This combination of legacy expertise, strategic relevance and improving financial health forms the backdrop against which the new leadership transition is taking place.
New Delhi: Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) on July 2 announced that Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram, VSM (Retd.), has taken over as its Chairman and Managing Director.
Raghuram was commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 10, 1989, and has over 35 years of service to his credit, with a career built around naval engineering, ship maintenance, strategic planning, and command leadership. He received the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2017. He studied at the Naval College of Engineering, Lonavala, followed by Cranfield University in the UK, the Naval War College, and the National Defence College.
His operational background covers afloat postings on INS Gomati and INS Trishul — including as part of Trishul's commissioning crew — as well as technical assignments at the Naval Dockyard, the Afloat Support Team for Talwar Class Ships, and WESEE, giving him exposure to equipment life cycle support and combat system integration.
Before this appointment, he was Assistant Chief of Materiel, overseeing maintenance of key naval platforms. Earlier in his career, he commanded INS Valsura, served as Principal Director Electrical Engineering at Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy), was Command Electrical Officer at Eastern Naval Command, and held the post of Chief Staff Officer (Technical) at Western Naval Command, in addition to senior roles at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, and Naval Headquarters.
HSL said the new CMD's mandate is to strengthen the company's position as a strategic defence shipyard and support India's self-reliance objectives in maritime defence manufacturing.
Company profile
From an investor and industry standpoint, HSL's credentials are notable on several counts. It is one of India's oldest shipyards, giving it an established base of technical expertise and infrastructure built up over decades.
Its classification as a Greenfield Miniratna Central Public Sector Undertaking affords it greater operational and financial autonomy than many comparable PSUs, a status typically tied to sustained performance credibility.
Strategically, its core strength lies in submarine construction and repair — a high-value, high-complexity segment within the defence manufacturing ecosystem — supplemented by the manufacture of specialised vessels such as Diving Support Vessels.
The company's financial trajectory has also drawn attention: HSL has moved from being a loss-making unit to a profit-making one in recent years, a turnaround that reflects tighter execution, better order-book management and improving operational metrics. This combination of legacy expertise, strategic relevance and improving financial health forms the backdrop against which the new leadership transition is taking place.
