New Delhi: Ravi Kota, known as “LCA man” within defence circles, has been selected to head the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) from May this year, once the current Chairman and Managing Director, D.K. Sunil, superannuates at the end of April.
Sources in the defence establishment told ThePrint that Kota, currently Director (Operations) at HAL, has been chosen by the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) and further due process is on.
Kota was among a pool of eight candidates, at least six of whom were from HAL, considered by the Board, which met Thursday.
His appointment comes in the backdrop of delays in the delivery of the Tejas MK1A aircraft by HAL. The delivery has missed several deadlines for many reasons, including delay in delivery of engines by US manufacturer GE but also due to delay in integrating the weapons package and the radar.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been clear that it will induct the aircraft only when all promises made by HAL that makes the aircraft’s IA variant are fully met.
It is hoped that Kota, with his operational background, would be able to fast-track the deliveries and scale up production to meet the demands of the country.
Incidentally, just before Kota takes over, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) will hand over a report to the defence ministry on how HAL can be turned into a modern aircraft manufacturing company. The report is expected to be submitted by 31 March.
A mechanical engineering graduate and an alumnus of IIM, Ahmedabad, as well as IAS, Toulouse, France, Kota was earlier General Manager in HAL’s LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) division and was responsible for operationalisation of the LCA Tejas fleet in the IAF.
He led the team to conclude the contract for supplying 83 LCA Mk1A with a contract value of more than Rs 36,000 crore in 2021, and also worked with the IAF for an order of additional 97 LCA Mk1A which would form the backbone of the force in the time to come.
Kota was instrumental in establishing facilities and creating capacity for manufacture of 16 LCA per year and was responsible for delivery of the LCA twin-seater aircraft for the first time in the programme.
According to his HAL biography, Kota led the indigenisation team to enhance the local content in the LCA-Tejas programme and transformed the LCA division to be a lead integrator by successfully outsourcing the major fuselage assemblies to private partners.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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