Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram Takes Over as CMD, Hindustan Shipyard

Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram has taken over as Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam.

HSL is a defence-ministry-owned shipyard specialising in submarine construction and repair, along with commercial and naval vessel building, and its CMD oversees both the defence-production side of the yard and its commercial shipbuilding contracts.

Raghuram brings a naval background to the post, a pattern the government has followed for HSL leadership given the yard's submarine-refit and construction work, which benefits from a CMD familiar with naval operational requirements and procurement processes.

The shipyard has been central to India's submarine maintenance capability, handling refits for the Navy's conventional submarine fleet alongside new-build contracts, work that requires close coordination with the Navy's own technical directorates.

HSL's order book has grown in recent years with both defence and commercial shipbuilding contracts, adding to the operational demands the new CMD will need to manage from the outset.

As CMD, Raghuram will also be responsible for the yard's modernisation plans, including dry-dock and infrastructure upgrades needed to handle larger vessels and submarine classes.

Raghuram has formally assumed charge of the post, according to the shipyard's announcement.