CMD, BHEL honoured with Distinguished Fellow Award - 2006.

Mr. Ashok K. Puri, Chairman & Managing Director, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has been awarded the prestigious ‘Distinguished Fellow Award 2006’ by the Institute of Directors (IOD). The award was presented by Dr. A.R. Kidwai, Hon’ble Governor of Haryana to Mr. Ashok K. Puri at a function held here today.

This award is given annually to Corporate Leaders and top Government officials for their outstanding contribution in the field of Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Mr. Puri, an Electrical Engineer and MBA in Marketing & Finance from University of Delhi, joined BHEL in 1976. In his over 35 years of professional experience, Mr. Puri has had diversified and versatile experience and has made significant contribution in the key functions like Corporate Management, International and Domestic Marketing, Strategic Planning, Manufacturing, etc.

Under his stewardship, BHEL has already taken various strategic initiatives keeping in view its core strengths to face the emerging challenges. In order to meet the country’s ambitious target of capacity addition, one of his strategic initiatives is to enhance BHEL’s equipment manufacturing capacity from present 6,000 MW to 10,000 MW annually by March 2007.

Under his leadership, BHEL has created new landmarks of performance. During the last fiscal (2005-06), the company achieved the highest ever turnover of Rs.145870 Million with the highest Year-on-Year growth of over 40% in the last three decades. BHEL also notched up the highest-ever order inflow of Rs 188370 Million, while operating in an intensely competitive environment. The company also recorded the highest-ever physical export orders of Rs.33480 Million – a six-fold increase over the previous year. Under his able stewardship, BHEL registered the highest-ever net profit of Rs.16790 Million - up by 76% over the previous fiscal (2004-05). BHEL supplied thermal sets recorded a new high in Plant Load Factor ( PLF) at 74.9% which is 1.3% higher than the national average.

As Head of Strategic Planning, Mr. Puri guided the development of Corporate Vision and also the Corporate Plan of BHEL. He is also credited with market research and techno-economic studies for company’s diversification and expansion efforts resulting in the introduction of Gas Turbines in BHEL.

Mr. Puri is a member of the Governing Body of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research. Mr. Puri has earlier been honoured with string of awards which include Eminent Engineer and Engineering Personality Awards by Institution of Engineers and Udyog Ratna Award conferred by the Governments of Madhya Pradesh and Government of Uttaranchal Pradesh for his outstanding contribution to the industrial development.