Madhu S Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard Ltd
Madhu S Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), will complete his decade-long tenure on January 31, coinciding with his superannuation after more than 37 years of service with the company.
Nair assumed charge as Chairman and Managing Director on January 1, 2016, having joined CSL in June 1988 as a Management Trainee. During his tenure, CSL underwent significant organisational and operational transformation, emerging as a globally competitive shipbuilding and ship repair company.
A key early milestone was the successful Initial Public Offer in August 2017, through which CSL raised ₹1,443 crore, marking its transition into a listed entity.
Under his leadership, CSL expanded into the inland waterways vessel segment by establishing a state-of-the-art shipyard in Kolkata with an investment of ₹180 crore through its wholly owned subsidiary, Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Ltd . In line with his focus on creating dedicated facilities for small and medium vessels and specialised crafts, CSL also acquired Tebma Shipyards at Malpe, Karnataka, through the NCLT process. The yard, now operating as Udupi Cochin Shipyard Ltd , is a wholly owned subsidiary of CSL and is currently profitable, with an order book of about ₹2,200 crore.
Nair strengthened the national ship repair ecosystem by establishing Ship Repair Units at Mumbai, Kolkata and Sri Vijayapuram (Port Blair), in addition to Kochi.
Major infrastructure investments were completed during this period, including the commissioning of India’s largest dry dock at Kochi at a cost of ₹1,799 crore and the development of the International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) at a cost of ₹970 crore.
Defining milestone
A defining milestone of his tenure was the construction and delivery of India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, which was commissioned into the Indian Navy in September 2022.
Earlier, while heading the marketing function, Nair led CSL’s entry into international markets, resulting in the export of around 48 vessels to customers across Europe, the Middle East and North America. In line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India, Make for the World initiatives, CSL forged partnerships with leading international firms such as IHC Holland, Vard Group, Rolls-Royce, Kongsberg and Robert Allan (Canada), securing major orders for European short-sea vessels, wind farm support vessels and large dredgers built in India.
During his tenure as CMD, CSL recorded its highest-ever financial performance, achieving a consolidated turnover of ₹4,820 crore and a profit after tax of ₹827 crore in FY 2024-25.
Published on January 30, 2026
