Nataraj Krishnappa, an alumnus of the city-based National Institute of Engineering (NIE), has been appointed as Director (Other Units) of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) recently. He belongs to the Mechanical Engineering batch of 1984.

Nataraj Krishnappa joined BEL-Ghaziabad on March 1, 1984, after graduating in Mechanical Engineering from NIE, University of Mysore. In 1986, he was transferred to BEL’s Panchkula unit, where he put in 15 years of service.

Panchkula unit was in its formative stage then and he belongs to the first batch of engineers to be posted to the unit. He worked in various departments responsible for manufacturing and procurement. He headed the Product Group-I and made significant contributions to manufacture Communication equipment such as Handheld Radio and STARS V Manpack Radio as well as Encryption products.

In June 2008, he was transferred to Military Radar SBU as Project Head of Akash Missile System. Nataraj Krishnappa, who is a PMP from PMI, USA, has successfully used project management concepts while executing the Akash Missile System project.

Akash Missile System integrated in the country for the first time is a world-class Surface to Air Missile System that has been inducted into both the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army. He served as GM (HR) and as GM (Missile System) at BEL-Bengaluru before his elevation as Director (Other Units).

Nataraj Krishnappa is a certified Cost Accountant (ICWA) and has done his General Management programme from IIM-Bangalore.