New NLC India CMD Dr. Acharya to Lead Power, Mining and Renewable Expansion

NLC India Limited has appointed Dr. Prasanna Kumar Acharya as its Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD), marking a change at the top leadership of the Navratna public sector enterprise. Dr. Acharya assumed charge as CMD of NLC India Limited on September 17, 2026, at the company’s Corporate Office in Neyveli, following approval conveyed by the Ministry of Coal, Government of India.

Dr. Acharya’s appointment has been approved for a five-year term beginning September 17, 2026, the date he assumed charge as CMD. The tenure will remain subject to any further orders from the Government of India and to terms and conditions set by the government.

Dr. Prasanna Kumar Acharya takes over as NLC India CMD

Before taking over as CMD, Dr. Acharya was serving as Director (Finance) of NLC India Limited. Following his appointment, he relinquished his position as Director (Finance) and Chief Financial Officer with effect from September 17, 2026.

Dr. Acharya’s appointment brings an end to the additional CMD charge held by Sanoj Kumar Jha, who formally handed over the responsibilities on September 17. NLC India subsequently informed the stock exchanges of the leadership change in compliance with SEBI’s listing and disclosure requirements.

Nearly Three Decades of Experience across Key Sectors

Dr. Acharya brings nearly three decades of professional experience spanning the power, mining and infrastructure sectors. Prior to becoming CMD, he served as Director (Finance) at NLC India. His professional career has also included key positions at organizations such as GRIDCO, NTPC and Tata Power.

His academic and professional qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), an LLB, Master of Commerce, MBA, and a Ph.D. from Utkal University. He is also a Fellow Member of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of India and an Associate Member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. He has undergone a Management Development Programme in Strategic Finance at IIM Lucknow.

Experience spanning Power, Mining and Infrastructure

Dr. Acharya possesses experience across several areas, including power generation, transmission, distribution, mining and metro rail infrastructure. Among the infrastructure initiatives associated with his professional career is the Phase-II project of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), which the company describes as a project with an estimated value of more than ₹63,000 crores.

During his tenure at NLC India, Dr. Acharya has also been associated with initiatives involving digital transformation and governance reforms. These included ERP modernization, centralization of finance functions, AI-enabled systems and the introduction of a Vendor Invoice Management System.

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NLC India’s Growth Roadmap

Dr. Acharya has been closely involved in a range of strategic initiatives, including securing government approvals, developing coal and critical mineral blocks, expanding renewable energy projects, and forging joint ventures with state utilities.

NLC India has outlined an ambitious growth roadmap targeting more than 20 GW of power generation capacity and over 100 MTPA of mining capacity by 2030. The company said Dr. Acharya has played a role in supporting initiatives connected with this roadmap.

With Dr. Acharya now taking charge as CMD, the leadership transition comes at a time when NLC India is pursuing activities across conventional power, mining, critical minerals and renewable energy.

Leadership Transition at NLC India

The appointment brings a formal conclusion to the period during which Shri Sanoj Kumar Jha held additional charge of CMD. Dr. Acharya’s assumption of office on 17th September completes the transition to a regular CMD appointment.

For NLC India, the appointment places a finance and infrastructure professional with extensive experience within the organization at the helm as the company works towards its stated long-term capacity and mining targets.