New Delhi: Today is the birthday of an industrial wizard and economic expert, SK Roongta, popularly known as Steelman of the country. He gave the Indian steel industry a new identity and success across the globe.
Roongta undertook many revolutionary initiatives to bring new reforms in the public sector undertakings of the country to make them more productive. Under his Chairmanship, a committee was formed by the Government of India for PSU Reform, wherein he forwarded several suggestions as to how PSUs contribution to the country's development could be significantly expanded and enhanced.
On 21 May 2011, Manoj Tibrewal Aakash, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Dynamite News, did an exclusive interview with SK Roongta for 'Ek Mulaqat' on DD News. On the occasion of his birthday, we bring you the important excerpts of the interview. The interview shows that, coming from an ordinary background in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, how Roongta earned national and international recognition for his brilliance, diligence, and wisdom which could be an inspiration to all of us.
In this interview with Manoj Tibrewal Aakash, Roongta says that India has all those capabilities, which can make our country an economic superpower of the world. But, he added, in order to maintain its economic growth, we will have to pay special attention to manufacturing and industrial growth with equal attention to the service sector.
SK Roongta, who deeply knows the industrial pulse of the country and the world, has been conferred with many awards including SCOPE for his astounding contribution to the industry.
Roongta did his higher secondary from a small town of Jhunjhunu. Afterwards he joined BITS Pilani for his degree in engineering followed by his post graduation from IIFT Delhi. And there he was selected, through campus recruitment, as a sales executive in the then Hindustan Steel Limited, which is now Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
Starting off as a sales executive, his journey has been challenging but resoundingly successful. After serving in SAIL for 38 years, Roongta became its Chairman. It was under his leadership that SAIL achieved the status of a Maharatna company.
It was during SK Roongta's tenure that Steel Authority of India Limited became the world's second largest profit making steel company.
Besides, being the Chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited, the country's leading public sector steel maker, Roongta was also the first Chairman of International Coal Ventures Limited (ICVL), a joint venture of five major public sector undertakings of the country. ICVL's joint ventures included SAIL, CIL, RINL, NMDC and NTPC.
SK Roongta was also a member of a number of top commercial and industrial boards in the country and abroad. He also made exemplary contribution as Chairman of the 'Steel Committee' of FICCI, National Council of CII, Member of the Advisory Council of ASSOCHAM, and President of Institute for Steel Development and Growth.
Video: Courtesy DD News
