Veteran mining expert Anand Mohan takes charge as Director (Technical) of CMPDI, aiming to strengthen innovation, planning, and strategic growth in India’s coal sector.
New leadership at CMPDI
Veteran mining professional Anand Mohan has officially assumed charge as Director (Technical) of the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDI) on 11 May 2026. In this role, he will lead the organisation’s Research, Technology, and Business Development divisions, along with other key technical and strategic departments. His appointment marks a significant leadership transition in one of India’s premier coal‑sector planning and design bodies.
CMPDI, a technical arm of Coal India Limited (CIL), provides critical support for mine planning, exploration, environmental studies, and project design across the country. Mohan’s mandate is to strengthen innovation, improve operational efficiency, and align CMPDI’s activities with the evolving needs of India’s coal and energy sectors.
Three decades of coal‑sector experience
Anand Mohan brings over 36 years of experience in the coal mining industry, with a career spanning multiple operating and strategic roles. Before joining CMPDI, he held senior positions across several Coal India subsidiaries, including Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), and Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL).
He began his career in 1989 at NCL’s Amlohri Project and has since worked in diverse technical and managerial domains, from mine‑design and project execution to operations planning and performance optimisation. His hands‑on exposure to large‑scale coal projects gives him a strong foundation to guide CMPDI’s technical and research agenda.
Academic and professional credentials
Mohan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering from the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal (1989 batch). He later upgraded his qualifications by completing an M.Tech in Open Cast Mining from the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad (now IIT Dhanbad) in 2005.
He also holds a First‑Class Mines Manager’s Certificate of Competency from the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS), underscoring his regulatory and operational expertise in safe and compliant mining practices. These qualifications position him to steer CMPDI’s technical directions with both academic rigour and field‑level practicality.
Expertise in mine planning and digital transformation
Over his career, Mohan has developed strong capabilities in mine planning and design, mining operations, project management, rehabilitation and resettlement, and environmental management. His work has spanned open‑cast and underground mining projects, covering feasibility studies, production planning, and long‑term mine‑life optimisation.
In recent years, he has also led and contributed to digital‑transformation initiatives in the coal sector, focusing on data‑driven planning, automation in mine‑design tools, and technology‑enabled environment‑management systems. His experience in these areas will also support CMPDI’s efforts to integrate advanced analytics, digitised workflows, and modern engineering tools into its core services.
International exposure and professional recognition
Mohan has participated in several high‑profile international training programmes that have broadened his perspective on global best practices. He completed an Environmental Assessment and Management training programme at the University of Wales, UK, under the ODA Programme, which enhanced his understanding of sustainable mining and environmental‑impact frameworks.
He also attended an Advanced Global Management Programme with technical study visits across European countries, exposing him to cutting‑edge mining technologies and management practices.
Professionally, he is a Fellow of The Institution of Engineers (India) and a Life Member of the Mining and Metallurgical Society of India (MMEAI) and the Mining, Geological and Metallurgical Institute of India (MGMI). These memberships also reflect his active engagement with India’s engineering and mining‑technology community.
Focus areas as Director (Technical)
In his new role at CMPDI, Mohan will oversee Research and Development, technology‑innovation initiatives, and business‑development functions. He will lead efforts to modernise CMPDI’s mine‑planning tools, environmental‑assessment methodologies, and project‑design frameworks, ensuring they remain aligned with national and global standards.
His leadership is expected to strengthen innovation, planning accuracy, and long‑term strategy in India’s coal‑mining ecosystem. By integrating digital‑planning platforms, simulation‑based design, and data‑driven decision‑making, he aims to improve project efficiency, environmental performance, and stakeholder engagement across Coal India’s operations.
CMPDI’s role in India’s coal sector
The Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDI) serves as a key technical backbone for Coal India Limited, providing end‑to‑end support for mine planning, geological exploration, environmental studies, and project design. The institute helps ensure that coal production remains sustainable, efficient, and compliant with environmental and safety norms.
Under Mohan’s guidance, CMPDI is expected to further deepen its role in technology transfer, innovation, and strategic‑planning support, helping India’s coal sector adapt to emerging energy‑transition and decarbonisation imperatives. His appointment also reinforces CMPDI’s position as a hub for research‑driven engineering solutions in India’s mining and energy landscape.
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