Leadership Strengthened by Appointment to Strategic Positions of Key Significance, Effective July 15, 2025
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has issued a notification regarding the appointment of Ajay Kumar Shrivastava as Director (Engineering and Research & Development) with effect from July 15, 2025, subject to the approval of the shareholders. Shrivastava is currently Executive Director at the Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC).
Further, Manisha Chandra, Joint Secretary (Aerospace), has been appointed as Part-time Official Director (Government Nominee Director) in place of Amit Satija. She is also appointed as of July 15, 2025, subject to shareholders’ approval.
Shrivastava has over 37 years of service with HAL and was commissioned as a Management Trainee in 1988. A Project Management Professional, his key achievements are avionics integration and upgrade for platforms such as HS-748, Do-228, Sea King Helicopters, and IL-78. As Director of TARDC, Kanpur, he led DGCA certification of the civilian variant of HAL Do-228 and made key contributions to indigenisation and system improvement in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. He is an Electronics Engineering postgraduate from HBTI Kanpur and an MS in Aviation Safety & Aircraft Airworthiness from ENAC/ENSICA, France. Manisha Chandra is Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer belonging to 2004 batch of Gujarat cadre and is currently Joint Secretary (Aerospace) in Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence. She has served in different administrative roles in three districts and five key departments of Gujarat. As Secretary, Expenditure Department of Finance, she was a member of major state PSUs’ boards such as GUVNL, GETCO, and GSFS. She is known for technology-enabled, citizen-centric governance and several of her initiatives have been nationally acclaimed, including by NITI Aayog. Chandra has a master’s in Public Policy and Management from King’s College London, and a master’s in Political Science from University of Allahabad.
