Alka Mittal becomes the first woman to head ONGC

Alka Mittal has been appointed interim chairman and managing director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC NSE 2.73 %) - the first woman to head the country's largest oil and gas producer.

"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for entrustment of additional charge of the post of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), ONGC to Alka Mittal, Director (HR), ONGC for a period of six months with effect from January 1, 2022, or till the appointment of a regular incumbent to the post, or until further order, whichever is the earliest," the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said in an order dated January 3, 2022.

Mittal replaces Subhash Kumar, another interim head who retired after reaching superannuation age on December 31.

Mittal is the first woman to head an oil and gas exploration and production company. Nishi Vasudeva was the first woman to head an oil company when in 2014 she took over the reins of oil refiner and fuel marketing company Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL)