Jain tops PNGRB member recommendations
As expected, frontrunner Sandeep Jain's name has been recommended for PNGRB member along with JN Das.
According to a source, IndianOil ED (gas business) Jain's name is first on the PESB recommendation list, followed by Indradhanush Gas Grid (IGGL) general manager Das. "The selection panel is advised to select two names," he says.
"This is done to ensure that if the first-ranked candidate can't be appointed because of any problem, the whole process need not be repeated; the selection panel has sent two names, but Jain has the upper hand because he is senior; he is an ED while Das is a GM." If he secures all clearances, Jain will replace Gajendra Singh, who retires in June 2025, aged 65.
On May 20 (2025), the PNGRB interviewed six senior executives at ED level or equivalent. They included Manoj Pawa, ED business development at Petronet LNG; PS Murthy, executive director HSE at HPCL; Goutom Chakraborty from GAIL, who also serves as CEO of GAIL Gas; and Ashish Jain from the ONGC chairman's office.
A source says Jain's leadership experience and strategic roles in gas business operations made him a stand-out candidate. As ED in charge of the IndianOil gas business, Jain leads one of the company's most critical portfolios.
A civil engineering graduate from Thapar University, he also holds a management certificate (Leading & Managing) from IIM Calcutta. Jain is on several IndianOil subsidiary and JV boards and chairs three.
Our source adds he has good networking skills. "He is close to oil secretary Pankaj Jain," we hear.
"Because of this, he often boasts about getting work done from the ministry." Amid talk that directors at state-owned companies had the best chance, speculation about the best candidate initially centred on names such as IndianOil director marketing Satish Kumar Vaduguri, ONGC director exploration Sushma Rawat, and GAIL director finance Rakesh Jain.