Operational Lessons from Power Sector Leadership

Q1. To begin, could you briefly describe your professional background across nuclear, hydro, and distribution, and the types of projects or operations where you’ve been most directly accountable for outcomes?

I have over 16 years of experience with NTPC Limited, spanning Nuclear, Hydro, and Power Distribution verticals. Across these roles, I have held direct accountability for project execution, pace of progress, quality of works, adherence to safety protocols, system reliability, and sustained performance improvement.

I began my career in nuclear power plant operations at NPCIL, on deputation from NTPC, working on PHWR-type reactors across multiple project sites. In this environment, procedural discipline, regulatory compliance, and zero-error execution were not just expectations, but core to my daily responsibilities.

I then spent more than a decade at a large hydro power project, where I was involved in the execution, commissioning, and O&M of high-value electrical assets. This included generators, transformers, protection systems, switchgears, and AC/DC networks besides multiple other electrical systems. In senior roles, I led large multidisciplinary teams and was directly accountable for zero forced outages, safety performance, and long-term asset reliability.

At present, I am working on a Distribution Sector Reform Project under the Government of India’s flagship RDSS programme. …