Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL) chairman and managing director Arun Balakrishnan and former IndianOil head Sarthak Behuria are among the 10 in the fray for the top job at Petronet LNG.
Besides, steel-maker SAIL chairman SK Roongta, GAIL director for finance RK Goel and ONGC director-HR and business development Ashok Balyan are also in the race for the post of CEO and managing director of the country's largest liquefied natural gas importer.
"In all, 29 candidates have applied for the job and a search committee has shortlisted 10, meeting the eligibility criteria," a source familiar with the development said.
The search committee, which comprises representatives of five promoters, is scheduled to hold interviews of the shortlisted candidates on May 29.
While Balakrishnan is considered favourite to bag the job, only Goel and Balyan have the experience of gas sourcing -- the primary job of PLL. After his unceremonious exit from IOC this February, Behuria is an advisor to PLL now.
The post fell vacant after incumbent Prosad Dasgupta took an early retirement. Dasgupta's five-year term was to come to an end on August 31 and he was eligible for a two-year extension till he attained superannuation age of 65 in 2012. He, however, quit the job last month.
Petroleum secretary S Sundareshan, who is the chairman of PLL, constituted the search committee comprising representatives of five promoters - IOC, ONGC, GAIL, Bharat Petroleum and Gaz de France. PLL's independent director DP Roy is also in the committee, the source said.
PLL director for finance & commercial A Sengupta, Imperial Energy CEO Ashok Verma, Hindustan Latex chairman and managing director M Ayyappan and Projects & Development India chairman and managing director RG Rajan are also in the race.
Not only is the retirement age at PLL 65, the post of MD & CEO also carries remuneration five times the salary of a PSU chairman. These are reasons why PSU heads superannuating this year have applied for the job, the source said.
Balakrishnan would reach superannuation on July 31 while Roongta is due to retire on May 31. Behuria did not get a favour from the government when he was, this February, not given an extension at IOC till his superannuation in 2012.
The eligibility criteria for the job states that preference would be given to persons having oil and gas experience.