Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) has appointed Ravi Kota as the new Chairman and Managing Director, following the tenure of the current Chairman and Managing Director, D K Sunil, which comes to an end.
In an exchange filing, HAL stated that, based on recommendations from the Ministry of Defence, the company’s Board of Directors has appointed Kota as Chairman & Managing Director for a period of close to 3 years.
Kota assumes charge on May 1
Kota will assume charges at the helm of India’s biggest defense aerospace company on May 1, 2026, till the date of his superannuation, June 30, 2029, or until further orders from the Ministry of Defence. Earlier, he was serving as Director of Operations at HAL.
HAL said that in this role, Kota will drive the company’s global ambitions while transforming it into a competitive aerospace and defense enterprise, driven by innovation, Artificial Intelligence, operational excellence, and people.
Ravi Kota’s previous experience
Shri Kota Ravi brings over 30 years of experience across various sectors, including Aerospace and Defense, manufacturing, and electronics. He has held key leadership roles, including Executive Director and General Manager of the LCA Tejas Division, as well as Executive Director of Corporate Planning.
During his earlier positions at HAL, he concluded various big-ticket contracts for HAL, such as a contract to supply 180 LCA Tejas to the Indian Air Force, 156 LCH Prachand to the Indian Army, and the Indian Air Force, and is credited with the operationalization of the LCA Tejas fleet in the Indian Air Force.
He boosted fleet serviceability through various customer-centric initiatives, established seamless data communication with Indian Air Force bases, and created a Single Point of Contact for timely customer support.
HAL stated that Kota has been a driving force in strengthening indigenous capabilities within the LCA Tejas program by increasing local content and expanding production capacity in Nasik.
He also played a pivotal role in developing a robust manufacturing ecosystem by outsourcing major fuselage assemblies to private sector partners, a strategy that is now delivering tangible results through ongoing deliveries.
Ravi Kota’s education
Ravi Kota is a Mechanical Engineering graduate from Malnad College of Engineering, Karnataka. He is also an alumnus of liM Ahmedabad.