From shaping coal-sector policy at the Ministry of Coal to leading Coal India’s maiden gasification venture with BHEL, the BCGCL Managing Director is at the centre of Odisha’s landmark project
The Man Behind the Mission
Dr. Peeyush Kumar is the Managing Director of Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Limited (BCGCL), a joint venture of Coal India Limited and BHEL. He also serves as a Director of Coal Gas India Limited, a CIL-GAIL JV, and of CIL Solar PV Limited. Alongside these boardroom roles, he has headed the Coal to Chemical Department at Coal India in Kolkata, placing him at the heart of the company’s push beyond conventional coal mining.
A Policy Mind from the Ministry of Coal
Before moving into project leadership, Dr. Kumar spent time at the policy end of the sector. As Director (Technical) in the Ministry of Coal, he sat on the boards of several coal companies, including MECL, CMPDI, BCCL and SCCL. He has also authored or co-authored policy papers such as the UCG policy and the Star Rating Policy for the coal sector. That grounding in regulation and planning now informs how he approaches one of the most technically demanding projects in India’s coal portfolio.
Birth of a Joint Venture
BCGCL was incorporated on May 28, 2024, with Dr. Kumar nominated to its board as a Coal India representative. At its first Board meeting on June 11, Debasish Nanda, Coal India’s Director (Business Development), was appointed Chairman, and Dr. Kumar was named Managing Director. CIL holds a 51 percent stake in the venture, which was formed to pursue coal-to-chemicals operations.
Building the Odisha Project
Dr. Kumar has moved quickly on the project’s groundwork. In June 2024 he said the first pre-bid meeting with prospective bidders would be held in Noida on July 1, with tenders already floated for all three major LSTK packages. He also met Odisha’s IPICOL officials in connection with the state’s single-window clearance application. That effort paid off by December 2024, when he confirmed that BCGCL had received approval from Odisha’s High-Level Clearance Authority.
A Voice on the Industry Stage
Dr. Kumar is also a visible figure in the wider coal community. He was listed among the speakers at the CLI 2025 Coal Supply Chain & Technology Expo & Conference in Kolkata, alongside senior figures from Tata Steel and Damodar Valley Corporation and former Coal India leadership. His presence at such forums reflects the growing national attention on coal gasification as India looks to diversify how it uses its domestic coal reserves.
