P B Rangarao assumes charge as Director Operations, HAL

Bengaluru:P.B.Rangarao has assumed charge as Director (Operations) of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Prior to this appointment, he served as Chief Executive Officer (Helicopter Complex) at HAL. Rangarao joined HAL as a Design Trainee in 1995. Over his three-decade career with the company, he has held several key positions across functions, including Plant Maintenance, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Manufacturing Shops, Cheetah/Chetak projects, outsourcing and planning. Before taking over as CEO (Helicopter Complex), he served as Executive Director, Helicopter Division.

During his tenure, Rangarao made significant contributions to strengthening HAL’s helicopter manufacturing capabilities. These include operationalising the new Helicopter Division at Tumakuru, paving the way for the production rollout of the first batch of Light Utility Helicopters (LUH), and commissioning the Limited Series Production (LSP) bases for the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) for the Indian Army and Indian Air Force.

He was instrumental in concluding the contract for 25 Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk III helicopters for the Indian Army and signing the contract for 156 LCH Prachand helicopters for the Indian Army and IAF. Under his leadership, HAL re-established supply chains for Cheetah and Chetak helicopters following the closure of Airbus facilities in France, enhanced production capacity through public-private partnerships, addressed obsolescence challenges through focused indigenisation initiatives, and streamlined manufacturing processes to improve production efficiency of ALH components.