S Sankarasubramanian, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Coromandel International, has officially taken charge as Chairman of the Fertiliser Association of India (FAI), succeeding Shailesh C Mehta at the helm of the industry’s apex body. With this leadership transition, the association enters a crucial phase marked by India’s accelerated push for Atmanirbhar fertiliser production, resource efficiency, and balanced plant nutrition. The FAI, a 70-year-old institution representing fertiliser manufacturers, distributors, importers, equipment makers, researchers, and input suppliers, continues to play a pivotal role in shaping India’s agricultural productivity and food security frameworks.

Sankarasubramanian brings over three decades of deep operational and strategic experience in the fertiliser sector, particularly within the phosphatic and potassic domain where India is significantly import-dependent. His leadership has been closely associated with driving supply chain resilience, technological modernisation, and nutrient stewardship across the industry. He steps into the role at a time when the sector is navigating global price volatility, evolving subsidy reforms, and the critical transition toward greener, more efficient fertiliser regimes.

Alongside this development, Siba Prasad Mohanty, Managing Director of Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Ltd, moves from the role of Co-Chairman to become the sole Co-Chairman of FAI, reinforcing continuity in industry coordination at a national level. Under the new leadership framework, FAI is expected to sharpen its focus on strengthening domestic production capacities, boosting innovation in soil and nutrient management, and working closely with policymakers to ensure long-term agricultural sustainability. The appointment signals renewed alignment between industry capability and national priorities as India advances toward greater fertiliser self-reliance and modernised, climate-smart agriculture.