Team Sampada: Could you tell us about yourself briefly?
TNV: My name is T N Veeraraghavan. I graduated from UVCE in the year 1976 from the Electrical Branch. I was the First Rank Holder and hence in the convocation I was the recipient of the GOLD MEDAL. I then joined IISc in the School of Automation and completed the 1st semester M.E. It was then that I got selected as Engineer Trainee by BHEL and was posted at Bangalore. BHEL had just then taken over REMCO and MPL (opp IISc) – both of them State Govt Undertakings. Considering the family situation at that time I decided to discontinue my studies and join BHEL after ascertaining that there is no possibility of me getting transferred at least for another 10 years. I was not at peace at all since I had to leave School of Automation which is, as it is, difficult to get and also since I am not a Post Graduate. Since this feeling was strong, after I joined BHEL in 7 years I got into part time MBA at Central College BU. I completed MBA with Financial Management Specialization in 1986 and again was the recipient of the GOLD MEDAL in MBA.
I joined BHEL as Engineer Trainee in the Control Equipment Division – a new unit being established in REMCO Campus. We were the first batch of Engineer Trainees and therefore had to shoulder additional responsibilities of establishing the unit – starting from establishing systems and facilities. I was posted in the Final Testing Dept and had to establish facilities and also learn Testing of Equipments including Procedures and Relevant Standards. I started with Power Electronics. Later controls for HP Boiler, Steam/Hydro Turbines and auxiliary Equipments in Thermal, Hydro and Nuclear Power Plants were added. The Unit also came to be known as Electronics Division or EDN in short.
I was trained at KWU Germany (part of SIEMENS) who was BHEL’s collaborator for Steam turbines at their works in Germany for testing of Electronic Automation Package for Steam turbines (EAST). Later when Gas Turbine Controls was introduced, I was deputed to M/s General Electric at USA for training on Gas Turbine Controls Testing. My mission was to save costs as well as FE. With a lot of difficulty I could manage to successfully get the jigs manufactured and get them proven at our works!
At this stage I was transferred to the Engg Dept dealing with Controls and instrumentation, later to Marketing and then the Project Mgmt and Commercial Divisions. It was a sort of Reverse Integration for me – starting from shop floors and then on to Marketing and Comml. Upto the level of Sr. DGM I was promoted always in the First attempt with one Flier Promotion at the level of Manager. Also was fortunate to get Bosses who were very supportive. In a Public Sector getting this much is not easy to come by! I then went on to become Gen. Manager in the Unit. I was then Incharge of all functions except Production.
I got promoted as Executive Director and Transferred to The Transmission Business Group (TBG) in Apr’2010. A big shift from Electronics(<24V) to predominantly Mech. group to very high voltages upto 765KV AC and 800 KV DC! During my tenure we could get a very valuable order for 800KV DC Transmission from the NE to Agra. It was a joint bid with ABB and called for maximising our share of eqpts produced within the country and proving our Engg and manufacturing capabilities after initial qualification.
After about 18 months here, I was horizontally transferred to BHEL’s Ranipet unit dealing with Boiler Auxiliaries as its CEO. We achieved the highest T/O of >4000 crores and profit>1000 crores the highest of this unit till date. I was finally elevated to the position of a Director on the BHEL Board as Dir(Engg, R&D) which brought with it the responsibility of monitoring the whole organisation for operations. It was unfortunately only for a short duration of 6 months but with the year end also included. As part of cost reduction, I had ideas to try out Engg Audit which could not materialise!
Team Sampada: What are some of your college memories that you cherish ?
TNV: A few instances I remember are as below:
Our batch was the last one with 5 years duration for B.E. (10+1+5 Regime) and the first one with Semester scheme. We had to do 10 semesters. It was the IX Sem Electrical Lab Practical Exam. By lots I got the easiest experiment i.e. OCC of an Induction machine. My exam mate was a repeater. Sri M V Krishnappa was the Internal Examiner. For conducting the experiment both of us will get equal marks. Sri MVK was a very sincere, dedicated and a tough teacher. He has been my teacher for almost all Lab classes and he knows me. He isolated me and asked the external examiner to keep me engaged in Viva and did not allow me to go near the machine. He was making the repeater do all work related to the expt and harassing him by not clearing the wiring done and hence switching on the machine. The candidate was profusely sweating. It was close to 10 am and the exam is supposed to get over at 10 30 am. I was also under a lot of stress as machine is not even switched on. Ultimately he made me explain to my mate what was the mistake and asked me to go ahead. We could barely manage to complete the expt and plot the Chacs. Sri MVK was telling me later that the ‘repeater will anyway pass the exam but let him also learn a little!’
We had a subject called ‘Field Theory’ in VII Sem. It was nightmarish to think of the exam since what was being taught in class was just going at least over the head! I was almost all days after the class following the faculty. He used to dodge me, ask me to refer to some books. Ultimately I went with the books also. That is when he threw up his hands and admitted he is unable to help me. I used to go on all weekends to my friend who was studying in BMS College. The faculty teaching there was much better, I understood. No emails then! Had to write down all the notes sitting at my friend’s house at Jayanagar as I was staying in the Cantt area.
Like I said earlier, I got married and joined MBA classes at the Central College in the same month i.e. Oct 1983. Unfortunately that year the First year evening classes started very late in Oct. I had to go to HOD with the marriage Invitation. And Behold! He started firing me saying that I am irresponsible and I have spoiled the chance of some other responsible guy who would have made use of the opportunity better. I tried to convince him that it is my own marriage that was fixed much earlier. All on Deaf years! Imagine my plight when again in 2nd year I had to go to him saying I am deputed to Germany by BHEL for 3 months. Oh! I will never forget. He threatened me saying he will see how I pass that year! I went to Dr Hanumanthappa who later became the VC. He pacified me and assured that he will enable me write the exam if I attend all classes on my return and clock at least 60% attendance. On my return I religiously attended all classes, sometimes even walking out of meetings incurring the wrath of my bosses! Ultimately I wrote the exam and also got the Gold Medal. Even after I finished the course I had no courage to go to the HOD!!
Team Sampada: Could you provide some advice to our current students
TNV: While mobile phones, Social Media etc have their own advantages and use, we must be aware of the Flip side also! Addiction, Wastage of time and loss of concentration have become the order of the day. Sometimes result in Lost Opportunities, Depression, suicides etc. Use them only to further the interest of the activity/job on hand.
Try to link at least one application for each concept studied in Theory. For example, I always felt that Electrical circuit theory should bring out clearly the basic property of Inductors/capacitors etc i.e. Inductor opposes change in current/Capacitor opposes change in voltage etc which is used in Filter design, apart from the usual Formulae for Impedance calculations and circuit characteristics. Practical aspects always facilitate proper understanding, work confidence and Improved Retentivity.
While IT is another area which has impacted our existence, it is not the only option. There are lots of other areas to work with. There are enough opportunities and challenges in other industries. People who can solve problems single-handedly are highly respected. Remember that nothing can match the professional satisfaction you get when you solve a long standing and tricky problem. Being a little spiritually inclined helps a lot in facing problems and being effective. Give a serious thought to this. Our culture is very rich!
Team Sampada: Could you provide some advice to our current students?
TNV: While mobile phones, Social Media etc have their own advantages and use, we must be aware of the Flip side also! Addiction, Wastage of time and loss of concentration have become the order of the day. Sometimes result in Lost Opportunities, Depression, suicides etc. Use them only to further the interest of the activity/job on hand.
Try to link at least one application for each concept studied in Theory. For example, I always felt that Electrical circuit theory should bring out clearly the basic property of Inductors/capacitors etc i.e. Inductor opposes change in current/Capacitor opposes change in voltage etc which is used in Filter design, apart from the usual Formulae for Impedance calculations and circuit characteristics. Practical aspects always facilitate proper understanding, work confidence and Improved Retentivity.
While IT is another area which has impacted our existence, it is not the only option. There are lots of other areas to work with. There are enough opportunities and challenges in other industries. People who can solve problems single-handedly are highly respected. Remember that nothing can match the professional satisfaction you get when you solve a long standing and tricky problem. Being a little spiritually inclined helps a lot in facing problems and being effective. Give a serious thought to this. Our culture is very rich!
Team Sampada: Do you have any suggestions for our UVCE Alumni Fraternity
TNV: I was always thinking on this. Can we organise some sessions for teaching staff to bring out the importance of the role they play in shaping future Engineers? Probably they have also an important role in a few suggestions given in 4 above.
Link up a particular concept/ subject being studied by students to an application like an Industry who work on the basis of that concept/subject. Like an industry manufacturing electrical machines and the theory of machine design. Get the concept and nuances explained by an expert in the industry. Presence of the faculty handling the subject in the class will be helpful. Later test the absorption students had. Alumni could help arrange such a visit. Otherwise name sake industrial visits are made and they are no better than casual loitering!
You are already doing this – Facilitate sanction of funds from Govt agencies to upgrade facilities in various labs.
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