Lessons, Leadership and Transformation: My journey at BHEL,Bhopal

Now that I am in our Delhi flat, surrounded by the very same furniture that once filled my home in Bhopal, I feel a deep sense of continuity. Each piece carries echoes of the past, but it is when I open my almirah that the true journey begins.

Among the neatly stacked books, I find my old photo albums and reports from my Bhopal days. As I rifle through them, memories come rushing back, vivid and alive, as if I have stepped into a portal of time travel. Each page, each photograph, transports me to those final years of my tenure at BHEL—days filled with challenges, achievements, and farewells.

This overwhelming wave of nostalgia compels me to write, to capture a slice of that unforgettable time—a chapter that marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new journey.

Tuesdays with Morrie: A Journey of Transformation and Leadership

Tuesdays with Morrie had a profound impact on my life, touching me in ways I never anticipated. The book exposed my vulnerabilities, revealing aspects of myself that I often ignored or suppressed. It felt as if a mirror was held up to my soul, highlighting areas where I needed growth and transformation. Through Morrie’s wisdom and Mitch Albom’s storytelling, I began to see life differently—one that emphasized empathy, connection, and the importance of living with intention.

Before reading this book, I often struggled with my temper, allowing frustration and impatience to dictate my interactions. Morrie’s lessons on forgiveness, love, and the value of human relationships slowly seeped into my consciousness. I started recognizing the futility of anger and its toll on my relationships and inner peace. Gradually, I began to control my temper, choosing understanding over irritation and compassion over judgment. This metamorphosis helped me evolve into a more mindful, empathetic version of myself.

This transformation proved invaluable during my posting at BHEL, Bhopal, where I oversaw more than 7,000 employees and tackled numerous challenges. In such a dynamic and demanding environment, there was no room for losing my temper. Instead, I focused on understanding the concerns of individuals, listening intently, and working collaboratively to find solutions. I was fortunate to have wonderful colleagues and mentors who supported me in this journey, much like the Pandavas during their 13 years of exile in the Mahabharata. Though their exile was a period of hardship, it was also a time of immense growth, guided by wise rishis such as Lomasa, Markandeya, and Brihadaswa, who helped them strengthen their skills, knowledge, and resilience. Similarly, the people around me during my time at BHEL played a crucial role in shaping my leadership and problem-solving approach.

My journey of self-improvement began earlier, during my tenure at Indian Oil, but it reached its culmination in Bhopal. It was there that I was introduced to spirituality through the teachings of revered figures like Rajeswaranandaji and Atmabholananandaji. Their wisdom helped calm my wayward mind, bringing a sense of peace and clarity that allowed me to navigate challenges with greater equanimity. This spiritual grounding, combined with the lessons from Tuesdays with Morrie, enabled me to approach my responsibilities with a balanced and compassionate mindset.

The Turnaround at BHEL, Bhopal

Alongside my spiritual growth, I faced the daunting task of turning around the Bhopal Unit, which had incurred a loss of ₹40 crores in the financial year 2000-2001. I took charge in October 2000 when the unit was already in financial distress. Around that time, I read The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt, a book that profoundly influenced my approach to managing cash flow and optimizing operations. Applying the principles from this book, along with the collective efforts of my dedicated team, we steered the unit from financial distress to profitability. By the time I retired, the Bhopal Unit had recorded a profit of ₹60 crores in the financial year 2002-2003—a testament to strategic leadership, teamwork, and resilience.

To achieve this turnaround, several strategic initiatives were implemented:

1. Raw Material Cost Optimization: By refining designs and enforcing strict quality control, we minimized rejections, leading to significant cost savings.

2. Material Waste Reduction: Factory-wide measures were introduced to curb wastage. As in cricket, “a run saved is a run made”—every resource preserved translated into direct financial benefits.

3. Overhead Cost Control: Workforce optimization, scaling down subsidies for the canteen and schools, and making the guest house self-sustaining helped trim unnecessary expenses.

4. Revenue Generation from Township Assets: Parks, gardens, community halls, and weekly markets were leveraged to generate additional revenue.

5. Utilization of Idle Resources: Employees were encouraged to propose innovative ways to repurpose abandoned manufacturing tools, enhancing productivity without additional investment.

6. Zero-Cost Telephone Directory: A new approach was devised to publish the telephone directory at no cost, eliminating the previous expense of ₹6 lakh.

7. Curbing Entertainment Expenditure: The practice of hosting customers in five-star hotels was replaced with increased use of the company guest house, significantly cutting hospitality expenses.

8. Uniform Computerization: All product design departments were digitized to streamline processes and improve efficiency.

9. Transition to Digital Accounting: The traditional ledger system was abolished, with accounting operations fully transferred to computerized systems, ensuring accuracy and transparency.

10. School Rationalization: As the employee strength had reduced over the years, the number of company-run schools was downsized accordingly.

11. Security Cost Reduction: The number of CISF personnel was optimized from 600 to 450, effectively lowering security-related expenditures.

12. Other actions

    1. BB: Business-to-Business Portal – A dedicated B2B portal was launched to streamline transactions between the company and its vendors, minimizing human intervention and enhancing efficiency.

    2. Rainwater Harvesting – Initiated in collaboration with the state government, this project aimed at conserving water by reducing the dependency on Bhopal Lake, ultimately lowering water procurement costs.The borewell well recharged and check dams were put to store the rain water and add to the capacity of the underground water.

    3. Townhall Meetings – Introduced to foster two-way communication, these sessions provided a platform to share the factory’s goals, celebrate success stories, and incorporate employee suggestions into decision-making.

    4. Annual Melas: "Kamyabi" & "Milap" – These biannual events encouraged informal interactions in a relaxed atmosphere, offering a blend of cultural entertainment, food sampling from various regions of India, and team-building opportunities.

These measures collectively contributed to restoring financial stability and operational efficiency at BHEL, Bhopal.

A team of professors from IIM ,Indore came to Bhopal sometimes in April,2003 to do case study of turnaround of the unit. 

A Life Changed Forever

In conclusion, Tuesdays with Morrie didn't just change my perspective—it changed the way I live. It taught me that vulnerability is not a weakness but a gateway to deeper human connection. By embracing this wisdom, I’ve become more patient, empathetic, and present in my day-to-day dealings. The book, along with the guidance of wise mentors, my spiritual insights, and the practical wisdom from The Goal, has left an indelible mark on my soul. Like the Pandavas, I emerged from my challenges stronger and wiser, ready to face life with a renewed sense of purpose and understanding. For that, I am eternally grateful.

Thus, my first innings in my career ended in June 2003. At that time, I was uncertain whether I would have a chance to play a significant role in the private sector—but fate had other plans.

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Footnotes:

1. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom is a memoir about the author's weekly visits with his former sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz, who was battling ALS. Through their conversations, Morrie imparts profound life lessons on love, relationships, and the meaning of life.

2. The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt is a management book that introduces the Theory of Constraints, emphasizing process improvement, bottleneck identification, and financial optimization to achieve operational success.

    3.The content is partly summary of the case study done by IIM,Indore.