Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram, VSM (Retd.), has officially taken charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam as of 2 July 2026. With a distinguished career spanning over 35 years in the Indian Navy, Rear Admiral Raghuram brings a wealth of experience in naval engineering, strategic planning, and leadership to his new role.
Commissioned into the Indian Navy on 10 November 1989, Rear Admiral Raghuram has built an impressive career characterized by his commitment and service. His expertise encompasses various domains, including afloat operations, equipment life cycle support, and combat system integration. In acknowledgment of his significant contributions, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2017, reflecting his dedication and excellence in service.
Rear Admiral Raghuram is an alumnus of several prestigious academic institutions, including the Naval College of Engineering in Lonavala, Cranfield University in the UK, and the Naval War College and National Defence College in India. His academic background, coupled with extensive practical experience, positions him well to address the challenges and opportunities facing naval engineering and shipbuilding in India.
During his naval tenure, he served on frontline warships such as INS Gomati and INS Trishul, where he was part of the commissioning crew of INS Trishul itself. His roles at various establishments, including the Naval Dockyard and the Afloat Support Team for Talwar-class ships, have significantly bolstered his skill set and understanding of life cycle support and combat systems.
Throughout his career, Rear Admiral Raghuram held numerous key leadership roles. Notable appointments included Commanding Officer of INS Valsura and Principal Director of Electrical Engineering at Naval Headquarters. He also served as Command Electrical Officer at the Eastern Naval Command and Chief Staff Officer (Technical) at the Western Naval Command. His final role before retirement was as the Assistant Chief of Materiel, where he was responsible for overseeing the maintenance of critical platforms within the Indian Navy.
In his new capacity as CMD of HSL, Rear Admiral Raghuram is expected to drive the shipyard’s initiatives to enhance its strategic position in defence shipbuilding. He aims to contribute significantly to India’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, focusing on strengthening indigenous maritime defence capabilities and reinforcing HSL’s status as a key player in the sector. His leadership is anticipated to play a pivotal role in advancing the country’s maritime interests while fostering self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
