Coal India names B. Sairam as its new chief executive officer

DELHI: Coal India Limited has appointed B. Sairam as its new chief executive officer, placing a proven industry hand at the helm of the world’s largest coal producer. With decades of experience across operations, strategy and leadership, Sairam steps into the role at a time when the sector is balancing scale, efficiency and transition.

A career coal man in the truest sense, Sairam’s professional journey has taken him from the pithead to the boardroom. Most recently, he served as chairman and managing director of Northern Coalfields Limited, where he led one of Coal India’s most critical subsidiaries from Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh. Known for his hands-on leadership style, he has built a reputation for combining operational rigour with people-first management.

Before that, Sairam was director technical at Central Coalfields Limited in Ranchi, overseeing mine planning, production optimisation and safety systems across a complex portfolio of assets. His earlier stint as executive director at Coal India Limited’s headquarters in the Greater Kolkata area further sharpened his perspective on enterprise-wide strategy and governance.

Sairam’s grounding in the sector runs deep. He spent over seven years at Mahanadi Coalfields Limited, rising through the ranks from chief manager to general manager, with postings in Jharsuguda and Sambalpur. Those years in Odisha shaped his understanding of ground realities, from logistics and land challenges to workforce engagement.

As CEO, Sairam is expected to focus on operational excellence, technology adoption and sustainable growth, while ensuring Coal India continues to meet the country’s energy needs reliably. His appointment signals continuity with competence, and a steady hand on the controls.

For an industry often seen as heavy and unyielding, Coal India’s choice reflects a simple belief: experience still counts, and leadership forged on the ground travels well to the corner office.