Korba, July 8: The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has recommended N. Franklin Jayakumar, Director (Technical–Operations), South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), for appointment as Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL).
SECL congratulated Jayakumar on the prestigious recommendation, describing it as recognition of his distinguished leadership and vast experience in the coal mining sector.
A mining professional with more than three decades of experience in coal and lignite mining, Jayakumar joined SECL as Director (Technical–Project & Planning) in February 2024 and assumed charge as Director (Technical–Operations) on January 1, 2025.
Before joining SECL, he served as Executive Director (Coal Coordination) and Project Head of the Talabira-II & III Open Cast Project at NLC India Limited. During his career at NLC India, he held several key leadership positions. Earlier, he spent 18 years with The Singareni Collieries Company Limited, gaining extensive expertise in highly mechanised underground and opencast mining operations. He also led a 5 MTPA coal mine in Indonesia for five years, adding valuable international experience to his professional profile.
Jayakumar holds a degree in Mining Engineering from the College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University, Chennai. He also earned a Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Engineering and Management from the University of Hyderabad and an MBA in Human Resource Management from Alagappa University, Tamil Nadu. He is a holder of the First Class Mine Manager’s Certificate of Competency issued by the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) and is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India).
Apart from his operational achievements, Jayakumar has made significant contributions to mine safety, skill development and policy formulation. He has served as a Board Member of the Skill Council for Mining Sector (SCMS), held leadership responsibilities in the Tamil Nadu Mines Safety Association and contributed to the Ministry of Coal’s Crisis Management Plan, which forms part of India’s National Disaster Management framework.
The entire SECL fraternity extended its best wishes to Jayakumar and expressed confidence that his leadership would further strengthen Northern Coalfields Limited in the years ahead.
