Alka Mittal

Dr. Alka Mittal is one of India’s most accomplished corporate leaders and a trailblazer in the energy sector, best known as the former Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC). She created history by becoming the first woman ever to head ONGC, India’s largest exploration and production company and one of the country’s most valuable Maharatna public sector enterprises. Prior to this, she also became the first woman functional director in ONGC’s history when she assumed office as director (human resources) in 2018.

Dr. Mittal’s distinguished career with ONGC spanned over 37 years, beginning in 1985 as a graduate trainee. During this period, she held a wide range of leadership positions across human resource management, organizational transformation, corporate governance, and strategic business leadership. As CMD, she also chaired the boards of several major ONGC Group companies, including ONGC Videsh, MRPL, OPaL, HPCL, and OTPC, providing strategic oversight across the energy value chain encompassing exploration, refining, petrochemicals, power, and renewable energy.

A highly accomplished academic, Dr. Mittal holds a master’s degree in economics, an MBA in human resource management, and a doctorate in commerce and business studies, specializing in corporate governance. She has further strengthened her boardroom expertise by earning the Pearson SRF BTEC Level 7 Advanced Professional Diploma for Non-Executive Directors from the Financial Times (UK).

Throughout her career, Dr. Mittal has championed people-centric leadership, organizational excellence, and corporate transformation. She has been widely recognized for modernizing HR practices, strengthening leadership development, enhancing diversity and inclusion, and embedding strong governance frameworks within one of India’s largest public sector organizations. Her leadership philosophy combines operational excellence with employee empowerment, innovation, and ethical governance.

Following her retirement from ONGC in 2022, Dr. Mittal was appointed Member (Administration) of the Capacity Building Commission, Government of India, where she contributes to the implementation of Mission Karmayogi, the Government of India’s flagship civil services capacity-building program aimed at creating a future-ready, citizen-centric public administration.

Through her pioneering leadership, strategic vision, and unwavering commitment to institutional excellence, Dr. Alka Mittal has become an inspirational figure in India’s corporate and public sector landscape. Her legacy extends beyond the energy industry, serving as a benchmark for inclusive leadership, corporate governance, and transformational management in large, complex organizations.