M.V. Gowtama has taken charge as the Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) on November 8, 2016.

He joined BEL at Ghaziabad unit in January 1983 as a probationary engineer. He was initially posted to the D&E-Radar Division where he contributed to the development of receiver subsystem of cyclone warning radar. In about three-and-half years, his team was able to design, develop, manufacture, deliver and commission the first cyclone warning radar at Paradip in Odisha. The cyclone warning radar development team won the R&D Award.

Gowtama was transferred to Hyderabad unit in May 1986. At Hyderabad unit, he worked in the D&E, testing, system integration, installation & commissioning groups of Ajanta project till 1998. His team developed in-house the high voltage power supplies for Ajanta, which was commended by then CMD. He completed M.Tech in advanced electronics from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, even while in service.

From 1998 to 2006, he worked on the Sangraha programme of Indian Navy. With ToT from DLRL, his team developed different ESM systems for submarines, helicopters, medium and longrange aircraft. They also developed in-house a lightweight ESM system for small ships called Sanket. Traditionally, project teams at Hyderabad used to look after ToT, development, testing and installation and commissioning activities. However, a new D&E division was established in 2006 to address future businesses in line with the new defence procurement policy and Gowtama had the opportunity to lead this D&E group as AGM. He was able to establish strong R&D teams at Hyderabad unit for product/subsystem development, engineering for different platforms and development of complex software.

Gowtama took over as General Manager (Technology Planning)/BEL-Corporate Office, on February 1, 2010. Later he served as GM (Milcom)/BEL-Bengaluru and was Executive Director (Missile Systems)/BEL-Bengaluru till his elevation as CMD, BEL.

Gowtama was born on June 26, 1961, in Tenali, the small yet famous town of Andhra Pradesh. He completed his B.Tech in Electronics and Communications from Sri Venkateswara University College of Engineering, Tirupati, in 1983.