Desh Deepak Misra has taken over as the Director (Human Resource) of India’s most valuable public enterprise Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC). Mr. Misra, 56 years, took over the reins of 33,000 plus workforce on 1st August 2014. He brings with him a treasure of experience in various facets of Human Resources.

A Masters in Public Administration from the University of Lucknow, he joined ONGC in January 1985. Starting his career from the Baroda office of ONGC, his result-driven and self-motivated approach at work was noticed soon and led to his relocation to Dehradun as Executive Assistant to the then Member (Personnel) of the ONGC Board. The rich exposure in this assignment was buttressed with experience gained in leading HR teams in various regions of ONGC – Assam, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. He is the recipient of the ‘Young Executive of the Year’ award and has been instrumental in ONGC securing the ‘Earth Care Award - 2008’ for mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Known for his out-of-box creativity and amicable nature, extra-curricular passions run deep in Mr. Misra’s DNA. A suave gentleman, his prime passion is wildlife photography. His lens has captured a number of endangered animal species, very closely; the Komodo Dragons of Indonesia is one recent example. His profiling of the bio-diversity of Karjat hills of Maharashtra has been published as a coffee table book ‘Karjat Diaries’. He piloted a number of Community Development programmes during his tenure at Uran Plant in Raigarh district of Maharashtra and at Uttarakhand as General Manager – Head Corporate Administration, to align the communities with ONGC’s business. He has a rare distinction of being a part of the ‘Support Team’ of the first Indian civilian expedition to Kanchenjunga Peak in 1988. He was the Deputy Leader of the ‘Trans-Desert Safari 1995’ - a 14-day joint venture between ONGC and BSF, which crossed Thar Desert on camels along Indo-Pak border.

Mr. Misra strongly believes in the power of engagement in aligning the employees’ interests with the vision of the organization. As Director (HR) of ONGC, his chief agenda would be to professionally steer the 33,000 plus geoscientists, engineers and managers manning the energy company, under a formidable national mandate given to ONGC.