The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has made significant leadership appointments with Sunil Kumar appointed as the next Chairman for a three-year tenure and Deepali Masirkar appointed as Executive Director (Security). According to reports from PSU Watch, Kumar's appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on October 21, 2026, succeeding Arun Kumar Singh from December 2026. Kumar will serve until his superannuation on December 31, 2028, and thereafter on a contractual basis for a combined tenure of three years. Masirkar, a 2008-batch IPS officer, assumed charge as Executive Director-Chief Security on October 28, filling a position that had been vacant since the superannuation of Sanjay Kumar Singh on November 1, 2026.
Sunil Kumar is currently serving as an Executive Director at ONGC and has held operational responsibilities within the company's asset management structure. As reported by PSU Watch, Kumar assumed charge as Executive Director and Asset Manager of ONGC's Mehsana Asset on January 8, 2025, and was subsequently appointed as ONGC's nominee director on its Board with effect from January 24, 2025. Kumar's appointment as Chairman will become effective when he formally assumes charge on or after December 7, 2026. The approved pay scale for the Chairman position is ₹2,00,000–₹3,70,000 under the Industrial Dearness Allowance (IDA) pattern. Masirkar is a 2008-batch IPS officer of the Nagaland cadre with extensive educational qualifications, holding a Bachelor of Science degree from St Francis College and an LLB degree from Mumbai University, along with a Master of Public Administration from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
According to the official ONGC website, Masirkar previously served as Director at the Election Commission of India (ECI) from May 2022 to January 2025. During her tenure at the ECI, she headed the Election Planning, Accessibility and Inclusion Division and oversaw the territorial divisions of Uttar Pradesh and Manipur. She also played a key role in the conduct of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Her IPS career includes serving in Nagaland for over six years in various capacities including Assistant Commandant, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Inspector General (DIG). Kumar's selection marks the selection of an internal executive to lead ONGC, providing continuity within the company's leadership structure.
As reported by PSU Watch, Maharatna company ONGC is India's largest producer of crude oil and natural gas, accounting for approximately 71% of the country's domestic oil and gas production. Crude oil extracted by ONGC serves as a key raw material for downstream companies such as Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL). These companies process crude oil to manufacture petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, kerosene, naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) is a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and is India's leading exploration and production company engaged in the exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas.
