In an effort to improve India’s preparation for upcoming mobility technologies and green mobility skilling, the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) has announced two significant leadership appointments. Rama Shankar Pandey, a former CEO of Tata Green Batteries and member of the ASDC Governing Council, has been named Treasurer, and Prabhu Nagaraj, Operating Head-Corporate Affairs at Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI), has been named Vice Chairperson.
Prabhu Nagaraj has worked in the automotive industry for about 35 years, and during that time he has made significant contributions to customer service, brand development, motorsports, road safety, and policy advocacy.
Through leadership positions such as Co-Chair of the SIAM Skilling Group and core group memberships under the Ministry of Heavy sector for the Automotive Mission Plan III and Augmenting Tool Rooms for the Auto Sector, he actively represents the interests of the sector.
At a time when the mobility industry is rapidly changing due to electrification, digitalization, and sustainability, his hiring supports ASDC’s strategic vision. Mr. Rama Shankar Pandey has been a leader in the automotive and auto-component industries for more than 28 years.
He has made significant contributions through organizations like FICCI, CII, and ACMA and is a fervent supporter of technician empowerment, safer roads, and customer rights. It is anticipated that ASDC’s role in creating a strong, future-ready skilling ecosystem in line with green mobility skilling and cutting-edge technologies will be further strengthened by his financial and strategic leadership.
Leadership Comments
Welcoming the appointments, Vinkesh Gulati, Chairperson, ASDC, said the addition of two senior industry leaders would significantly strengthen the Council’s mission. “Their combined expertise—spanning manufacturing, sustainability, road safety, skilling and industry policy—will help shape a future-ready automotive workforce for India,” he said. Reacting to his appointment, Prabhu Nagaraj said skilling would be central to India’s mobility transition. “As the sector undergoes unprecedented change, I look forward to working with partners to build competencies that support India’s mobility transformation,” he said.
Rama Shankar Pandey said: “As a nation, we must make skills aspirational,” while he was welcomed in the 1st GC meeting. He added “We must shift from the obsession of degrees & designations to celebration of skills and dignity of Purpose as our identity.” This philosophy will continue to guide the next chapter of his leadership journey at ASDC.
