Ashok Khade, Chairman of DAS Offshore Engineering Private Limited, has been awarded the Padma Shri under the Trade and Industry category for his contributions to India’s engineering and offshore fabrication sector.
Khade began his professional career at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, where he worked in ship repair and fabrication and developed technical expertise in marine and heavy engineering. In 1992, he founded DAS Offshore Engineering, initially operating as a small fabrication and maintenance enterprise before expanding its scope of operations.
Over the past three decades, DAS Offshore Engineering has built capabilities in offshore oil and gas fabrication, infrastructure projects, and energy-related engineering works. The company undertakes fabrication of offshore platforms and jackets, construction of large structural components, and execution of process plant and infrastructure projects. It has worked on assignments for public sector undertakings, including Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, supporting offshore and onshore energy infrastructure.
Under Khade’s leadership, the company scaled up its manufacturing and project execution capacity, transitioning into a multi-disciplinary heavy engineering firm. Its facilities support fabrication of complex steel structures and equipment used in offshore and industrial applications, reflecting the growth of domestic engineering capabilities in the sector.
The Padma Shri citation recognises Khade’s role in strengthening indigenous engineering and fabrication capacity and his long-term contribution to India’s industrial ecosystem. His career traces a progression from technical roles in shipbuilding to entrepreneurship in offshore and heavy engineering.
In addition to his business activities, Khade is associated with initiatives focused on community development and skill development, particularly in his home region of Maharashtra. These activities run alongside the company’s industrial operations.
DAS Offshore Engineering Private Limited provides fabrication and construction services for the oil and gas, infrastructure, and energy sectors. The company operates manufacturing facilities equipped for large-scale structural fabrication and project execution and continues to undertake domestic engineering projects across multiple segments.
