Utpal Baruah embarked on his aviation journey as a Navigation Engineer (Aeronautical Communication Service Engineer) with the National Airports Authority (NAA) in November 1993. Following the merger of NAA and the International Airports Authority of India (IAAI) in 1995, he became part of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), a cornerstone of the country’s civil aviation sector.

He initially served at Imphal, Guwahati, and Tezpur airports, specializing in Air Navigation Services before transitioning to airport operations in 2000 when numerous Indian airports were upgraded to international standards. As Terminal Manager at Goa International Airport from February 2001 to December 2007, he played a crucial role in operational management before joining GMR Group at Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, in January 2008.

During the construction of Terminal 1D and the landmark Terminal 3 (T3) at IGI Airport, Baruah was instrumental in establishing the Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC) and developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for airfield management. He also introduced the “GDC (GMR DIAL Clearance) Number,” a system still in use since 2010 for managing general aviation flights at IGI Airport.

With GMR Group’s acquisition of Mactan-Cebu International Airport in the Philippines, he led the planning and training department during the transition in 2014, ensuring a seamless transfer from the government-run MCIA to the GMCAC (GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation) joint consortium. From 2015 to 2018, he served as Head of Operations at GMR Aviation Academy in Hyderabad. In December 2018, he took on the role of Chief Operations Officer (COO) at Kannur International Airport, a greenfield airport in North Kerala.

Following Adani Group’s acquisition of six Indian airports, Baruah joined the conglomerate in July 2019, overseeing the transition of all six facilities. He subsequently assumed the role of Chief Airport Officer at Guwahati International Airport in August 2021, where he was instrumental in formulating a fifty-year vision and master plan for the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport until his resignation in July 2024.

Beyond his leadership in airport operations, Baruah is a distinguished trainer, certified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as a Training Manager, Training Instructor, and Training Course Developer. He has been invited to speak at the Global ORAT Summit in Singapore (2017) and London (2019). As a member of the U.S.-India Aviation Cooperation Program (ACP), he visited Washington, U.S.A., in August 2022. In January 2024, he was recognized among the top influencers in India’s Aerospace & Defense sector by AVIATION UPDATE, a leading aviation magazine.

An avid writer, Utpal Baruah has published numerous papers and articles in journals, newspapers, and periodicals, covering aviation and contemporary issues. He has also authored three books in his native Assamese language.