Shri Girish Gopinathan Nair (58 years) (DIN-11048795) assumed charge of Director (Technical) at Eastern Coalfields Limited on 25th March, 2025.

He is an accomplished professional in Coal Mining industry with more than 34 years of experience in various capacities. He holds a B.Tech. Degree in Mining Engineering from IIT-ISM, Dhanbad and obtained the First Class Mine Managers Certificate of Competency in 1997.

He was a part of the Coal India delegation which attended World Energy Congress in 2019 at Abu Dhabi and African Mining Indaba at Cape Town, South Africa in 2024.

He joined Bisrampur Area of SECL in 1990 and was initially posted in Jainagar 3&4 Inclines and later at Bisrampur OCM. He worked at different capacities at SECL before being transferred to BCCL Dhanbad in 2013-2014 on promotion after which he served at BCCL in different capacities including that of GM (IED), GM (CMC), GM (JMP) and TS to Director (Technical) Operations, BCCL. He joined Coal India Limited HQ in December, 2021 and served as GM (CMC), CIL and as Executive Director (Contracts), Coal India Limited.

Shri Nair’s professional achievements encompass a significant role in enhancing operational efficiency at Kusunda Project. Between 2000 and 2009, he contributed to achieving a CAGR of 7.46% in Coal production and CAGR of 4.95% in Coal Despatch. Nobody, during FY 2009-10, the project recorded its highest ever Coal Production and OB removal upto that point and obtaining stage-II clearance for acquisition of 989.40 Ha. of forest land for Chirimiri. He was also instrumental in awarding record number of contracts for capacity addition of BCCL, during peak Corona pandemic period, it was an extra ordinary achievement of the team lead by Shri Nair.

He has also played a vital role in implementing a procedure enabling Areas to deal directly with Legal Title Holders (LTH) under Jharia Master Plan as per the Rehabilitation & Resettlement Policy of Coal India Limited & norms of BCCL, which was initiated to expedite the process of land acquisition for mining to enable Company achieve its targets of production and risk mitigation where it was a strategic decision as BCCL was in any case required to purchase land from LTH for the purpose of mining.

As Head of CMC Division, Coal India Limited, he has ensured smooth transition of procurement of Services from GePNIC Portal to GeM Portal and approvals of various Model Tender Documents (MDO, MDO Revenue Sharing, High Wall etc) and revision of Contract Management Manuals. To achieve the dream of Atma Nirbhar Bharat, a total of 14 MDO contracts and 25 MDO Revenue Sharing contracts were awarded by Subsidiaries on this basis. As a result, during F.Y. 2023-24 and 2024-25, Ministry of Coal, Government of India and Coal India Limited are the top buyers from GeM Portal among Central Ministries and among CPSEs respectively.

Shri Nair, as Director (Technical) Project & Planning, is responsible for taking decision at Board level regarding policy matters, material procurement, finalisation of contracts etc.

Further, as head of Project & Planning Division of the Company, he controls and directs eight Departments of ECL viz. Project and Planning, Civil, Contract Management Cell, LRE (Land, Revenue, Estate), Environment & Forest, Industrial Engineering, New Coal Blocks and Geology, Mine Closure Plan (MCP), Geo-Technical & New Initiatives.

He has also Nominated owner of six (06) coal producing Areas in ECL and responsible for direction and control of various operating mines of the of six (06) coal producing Areas of ECL viz. Kenda Area, Kunustoria Area, Pandaveswar Area, Jhanjra Area, Bankola Area and Sonepur Bazari Area.

His vast experience of around 34 years in Coal India Limited will definitely benefit not only ECL but the entire coal industry.