New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS) The board of Coal India Limited (CIL), the country’s largest coal producer, on Friday appointed its Chairman-cum-Managing Director B Sairam as the company’s Chief Executive Officer.

The decision was taken at a board meeting held and has been officially communicated to the stock exchanges.

“The Board of CIL at its meeting held on 26/12/2025 has inter alia appointed B. Sairam, Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CIL,” it said.

With this move, Sairam will hold the dual responsibility of CMD and CEO, a step seen as part of the Centre’s effort to ensure faster decision-making and streamlined leadership at the Maharatna PSU.

Coal India accounts for more than 80 per cent of India’s domestic coal production and plays a key role in meeting the country’s energy needs.

The appointment comes at a crucial time as Coal India is working to achieve an ambitious coal production target of 875 million tonnes in the 2025–26 financial year.

At the same time, the company is also exploring diversification into critical minerals, adding to the need for strong and agile leadership at the top.

In a regulatory filing to BSE, the company said that the board had appointed B Sairam, who is currently serving as Chairman-cum-Managing Director, as the Chief Executive Officer of Coal India with effect from December 26, 2025.

Before taking charge as CMD of Coal India, Sairam was the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Northern Coalfields Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of CIL.

Earlier, he served as Director (Technical) at Central Coalfields Limited, where he played an important role in strengthening coal logistics, implementing first-mile connectivity projects and handling forest and environmental clearances.

Coal India said Sairam’s experience across key subsidiaries and his involvement in major operational projects make him well placed to lead the company during a phase of higher production targets and strategic expansion.

“His multi-pronged know-how of the coal mining eco-system will greatly benefit CIL in the years to come,” the company said.

--IANS

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