New Navy Admiral Named Hindustan Shipyard CMD

Navy Veteran Retd Radm Raghuram Takes Charge at HSL – Experienced naval engineer to lead Hindustan Shipyard’s expansion in defence shipbuilding

Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram, VSM (Retd.), has taken charge as Chairman & Managing Director of Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) on 2 July 2026. A veteran naval engineer with over 36 years’ service, he succeeds Captain Ganti Venkateswarlu (Retd.), who held additional charge of the post. HSL is India’s second-largest government shipyard – has turned profitable in recent years and is poised to expand its strategic shipbuilding and submarine capabilities under his leadership.

Hindustan Shipyard announced that Rear Admiral C. Raghuram (Retd.) assumed charge as CMD on 2 July 2026. The appointment follows a PESB recommendation and Cabinet approval earlier this year. He succeeds Captain Ganti Venkateswarlu (Retd.), HSL’s Director (Shipbuilding), who had been holding additional charge since the post fell vacant. The change of guard comes as HSL prepares for an expanded role in India’s defence shipbuilding.

Adm. Raghuram was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 10 November 1989 and served for over 35 years. He has a distinguished technical and operational record: awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2017, he is an alumnus of the Naval College of Engineering (Lonavala), Cranfield University (UK), the Naval War College and the National Defence College. His sea service included postings on INS Gomati and INS Trishul (he was part of Trishul’s commissioning crew). He also held key technical leadership roles; commanding the naval training establishment INS Valsura, serving as Principal Director (Electrical Engineering) at Integrated HQ (Navy), Command Electrical Officer of Eastern Naval Command and Chief Staff Officer (Technical) at Western Naval Command, along with senior posts at Mumbai Dockyard and Naval HQ. Immediately before joining HSL, he was Assistant Chief of Materiel at Naval Headquarters, responsible for maintenance and life-cycle support of the fleet.

HSL, founded in 1941, is one of India’s oldest shipyards and the country’s second-largest after Cochin, with a covered dock capacity of up to 80,000 DWT. It holds Miniratna Category-I status under the Defence Ministry, granting it enhanced autonomy. After years of losses, HSL has returned to profitability – reporting a record after-tax profit of ₹118.82 crore in FY2023–24. The yard is a strategic asset for India’s naval build-up: it is among the few Indian shipyards equipped for submarine work. For example, in March 2023 the MoD contracted HSL to conduct a Rs 934 crore normal refit of INS Sindhukirti (a Kilo-class submarine). Earlier, HSL refitted INS Sindhuvir before its transfer to Myanmar. HSL has also delivered specialised vessels, notably INS Dhruv – India’s first indigenously built Ocean Surveillance Ship – and is constructing Diving Support Vessels with high indigenous content.

Strategic Partnerships and Outlook

Under Radm. Raghuram’s leadership, HSL is expected to deepen its role in India’s push for self-reliance in maritime defence. In February 2026 the shipyard signed an MoU with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) to form a consortium for a large national shipbuilding programme. Internationally, HSL is exploring new markets: it is in talks to refit submarines for the Vietnam People’s Navy, and has held discussions involving Myanmar and the Philippines as part of India’s goal to become a defence exporter in the Indo-Pacific. Industry analysts note that Raghuram’s extensive technical experience will help “accelerate HSL’s transformation into a globally competitive defence shipyard”. Observers expect him to oversee timely execution of ongoing projects and strengthen HSL’s contribution to India’s maritime security and Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.