By IANS
New Delhi : After almost a year of hunting for a head for one of India's top companies, a government selection committee has upheld the name of R.S. Sharma as the chairman and managing director for oil and gas exploration major ONGC.
Sharma, currently acting CMD as well as human resource director of the state-run firm, was also selected for the post last year, but the government did not approve the decision.
The interview process that started Tuesday shortlisted 27 candidates who appeared for interview Wednesday.
Najeeb Jung, former joint secretary in the petroleum and natural gas ministry, emerged at the second spot, according to informed sources.
Also doing the rounds was the name of R.S. Butola, managing director, ONGC Videsh, but he did not turn up for the interview. When contacted, Butola told IANS, "I did not go for the interview." He, however, declined to give any reason for his absence.
The search committee, set up by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) last year, is headed by Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) chairman N.K. Sinha and includes M.S. Srinivasan, petroleum secretary, Vijay Kelkar, former finance secretary, Bakul Dholakia, director of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, and R. Datta, secretary, PESB.
The sources said the PMO is expected to take a decision on the appointment within a fortnight.