CMD, BHEL honoured with Distinguished Fellow Award - 2010

Mr. B. Prasada Rao, Chairman & Managing Director, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has been awarded the prestigious ‘Distinguished Fellow Award 2010’ by the Institute of Directors (IOD). The award was presented by Sh. Virbhadra Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister for Steel to Mr. B. Prasada Rao at a function in New Delhi.

The 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. Rao, a Masters degree holder in Industrial Engineering from NITIE, Mumbai and a Mechanical Engineering Graduate from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Andhra Pradesh, joined BHEL in 1978. In his over 32 years of professional experience, Mr. Rao has handled a variety of assignments and has diversified, versatile and varied experience through working in Strategic as well as operational areas in all major segments of BHEL. He was elevated to the Board of BHEL in September 2007 as Director (Industrial Systems & Products).

As a strong believer in transforming BHEL into a ‘world class engineering enterprise’, Mr. Rao successfully led two Corporate Plan exercises ‘Strategic Plan 2007’ and ‘Strategic Plan 2012’ at the Corporate Headquarters of BHEL with the aim of guiding the company’s turnover to US$ 20 billion by 2016-17. The latest plan resulted in the company pursuing a growth strategy of building both capacity and capability. With an investment strategy aimed at taking the company’s manufacturing capacity from 15,000 MW p.a to 20,000 MW p.a. and introduction of new technologies in the field of coal and gas based power plants like Supercritical thermal sets of 660 MW & 800 MW ratings, Advance class Gas Turbines, Large size CFBC Boilers, Large size Nuclear sets, Extra High Voltage Transmission Systyems, etc., BHEL is strategically poised to meet the needs of the country.

Having begun his career in BHEL as an Industrial Engineer at Industrial Systems Group, BHEL, Bangalore, he initiated the planning function at BHEL, Bangalore, and has been responsible for conceptualizing approach for organization of Industry Sector and drawing up a Blueprint for Electronics in BHEL. Later, he spearheaded the diversification initiative at Electronics Division for BHEL’s entry into Defence Simulators. He was instrumental in setting up of Electronics Systems Division, the 14th manufacturing unit of BHEL, in addition to Planning & Development activities. Subsequently he joined the Heavy Power Equipment Plant of BHEL at Hyderabad as In-charge of manufacturing of Steam Turbines, Gas Turbines and Compressors. In addition to his present responsibility, he is Chairman, BHPV, a subsidiary of BHEL.

Mr. Rao represented India in the Study Group of World Energy Council on their initiative for developing ‘Energy Scenarios to 2050’. He is a Member of the CII Capital Goods Committee and FICCI Capital Goods Committee and is an active interface with Industry & Government bodies on policy matters of concern to BHEL. Mr. Rao is Member- General Assembly, Electrical Construction Company (ECCO), Tripoli, Libya and Advisor on the Board of Institute of Industrial Management for Safety, Health & Environment, Bhopal. He was elected as Vice President of CIGRE, India in 2009. He is also Fellow, Institution of Engineers.