Exclusive PICS: Naveen Jindal wishes ‘Google boy’ Kautilya Sharma on his birthday

Chandigarh/Karnal: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan was in awe of the ‘small wonder’, Kautilya Sharma when he hosted him on the children’s day episode his popular show Kaun Banega Crorepati. Kautilya Sharma, popularly known as ‘Google boy’ is a six-year-old wonder kid from Karnal, Haryana was crowned the memory prince.
Kautilya’s family celebrated his birthday in a grand way in Haryana which saw several bigwigs, including politician-cum-industrialist Naveen Jindal.
According to Kautilya’s grandfather, the family is keen to send him to the United States.
 

 

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Mr. Naveen Jindal Meets Chief Election Commissioner on Absentee Voting

New Delhi: Mr Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), met the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr.V.S Sampat, regarding the important issue of absentee voting. He said that Indian democracy is based on the basic framework of ensuring the right to vote of all citizens who are eligible to vote. But in practice, the enforcement of this right is undermined by the existing legal and regulatory regime.

In his meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner, the MP from Kurukshetra reiterated his concern on the fact that there are no provisions in Indian law to enable migrant workers within India (estimated to be over 100 millions), students studying abroad (more than 80,000 per annum go to US alone), travelling business professionals and senior or unwell citizens who may not be able to travel to the polling booth, to vote in an alternative manner. Subsequently, he raised the point that while voting right was granted to the citizens of India, who are living abroad but have not acquired Citizenship of any other country; however, after getting registered with the local Electoral Registration Officer by making application in Form 6, they have to be physically present at the polling booth on the day of the election to register their vote. Mr Jindal mentioned that the Government, in its reply to a question raised by him in Loksabha on 21.03.2013, stated that only 13 overseas electors voted in the legislative assembly elections of 5 States i.e. Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand & Uttar Pradesh, held in the year 2012. 

Mr. Jindal again stressed that in the true spirit of Indian democracy, it is imperative that the country now expands the postal ballot system to allow all Indian citizens to exercise their right to vote by post or any other form of absentee voting, such as Internet voting, proxy voting, etc. as is being done in other countries. 

He pointed out that India already has a limited form of postal voting but it is not accessed by enough people to create a meaningful impact towards making the electoral process more inclusive. Section 60(c) of the Representation of People Act, 1951 provides for Election Commission to notify a class of persons, in consultation with the Government, to be entitled to exercise their right to vote by way of postal ballot. So Election Commission can, in consultation with the Government, notify overseas Indians, migrant workers, students studying abroad, unwell and senior citizens “as a class of persons” to whom the right to vote by way of postal ballot can be extended.

Mr Jindal conveyed to the Chief Election Commissioner that the purpose of this effort is to make the electoral process in India far more inclusive and far less cumbersome, so that each and every Indian is able to exercise not only the right to vote, but also have the opportunity to vote. 

The Chief Election Commissioner assured that the Election Commission will look into feasibility of extending absentee voting rights to various categories of voters.

It may be noted that Mr. Jindal has been pursuing this matter relentlessly for several years. He has been constantly raising this issue inside and outside the Parliament and has also made representations to the Ministry of Law and Justice & Election Commission. 

New Delhi: Mr Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), met the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr.V.S Sampat, regarding the important issue of absentee voting. He said that Indian democracy is based on the basic framework of ensuring the right to vote of all citizens who are eligible to vote. But in practice, the enforcement of this right is undermined by the existing legal and regulatory regime.

In his meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner, the MP from Kurukshetra reiterated his concern on the fact that there are no provisions in Indian law to enable migrant workers within India (estimated to be over 100 millions), students studying abroad (more than 80,000 per annum go to US alone), travelling business professionals and senior or unwell citizens who may not be able to travel to the polling booth, to vote in an alternative manner. Subsequently, he raised the point that while voting right was granted to the citizens of India, who are living abroad but have not acquired Citizenship of any other country; however, after getting registered with the local Electoral Registration Officer by making application in Form 6, they have to be physically present at the polling booth on the day of the election to register their vote. Mr Jindal mentioned that the Government, in its reply to a question raised by him in Loksabha on 21.03.2013, stated that only 13 overseas electors voted in the legislative assembly elections of 5 States i.e. Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand & Uttar Pradesh, held in the year 2012. 

Mr. Jindal again stressed that in the true spirit of Indian democracy, it is imperative that the country now expands the postal ballot system to allow all Indian citizens to exercise their right to vote by post or any other form of absentee voting, such as Internet voting, proxy voting, etc. as is being done in other countries. 

He pointed out that India already has a limited form of postal voting but it is not accessed by enough people to create a meaningful impact towards making the electoral process more inclusive. Section 60(c) of the Representation of People Act, 1951 provides for Election Commission to notify a class of persons, in consultation with the Government, to be entitled to exercise their right to vote by way of postal ballot. So Election Commission can, in consultation with the Government, notify overseas Indians, migrant workers, students studying abroad, unwell and senior citizens “as a class of persons” to whom the right to vote by way of postal ballot can be extended.

Mr Jindal conveyed to the Chief Election Commissioner that the purpose of this effort is to make the electoral process in India far more inclusive and far less cumbersome, so that each and every Indian is able to exercise not only the right to vote, but also have the opportunity to vote. 

The Chief Election Commissioner assured that the Election Commission will look into feasibility of extending absentee voting rights to various categories of voters.

It may be noted that Mr. Jindal has been pursuing this matter relentlessly for several years. He has been constantly raising this issue inside and outside the Parliament and has also made representations to the Ministry of Law and Justice & Election Commission. 

- See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=46563#sthash.mVA8hCii.dpuf

New Delhi: Mr Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), met the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr.V.S Sampat, regarding the important issue of absentee voting. He said that Indian democracy is based on the basic framework of ensuring the right to vote of all citizens who are eligible to vote. But in practice, the enforcement of this right is undermined by the existing legal and regulatory regime.

In his meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner, the MP from Kurukshetra reiterated his concern on the fact that there are no provisions in Indian law to enable migrant workers within India (estimated to be over 100 millions), students studying abroad (more than 80,000 per annum go to US alone), travelling business professionals and senior or unwell citizens who may not be able to travel to the polling booth, to vote in an alternative manner. Subsequently, he raised the point that while voting right was granted to the citizens of India, who are living abroad but have not acquired Citizenship of any other country; however, after getting registered with the local Electoral Registration Officer by making application in Form 6, they have to be physically present at the polling booth on the day of the election to register their vote. Mr Jindal mentioned that the Government, in its reply to a question raised by him in Loksabha on 21.03.2013, stated that only 13 overseas electors voted in the legislative assembly elections of 5 States i.e. Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand & Uttar Pradesh, held in the year 2012. 

Mr. Jindal again stressed that in the true spirit of Indian democracy, it is imperative that the country now expands the postal ballot system to allow all Indian citizens to exercise their right to vote by post or any other form of absentee voting, such as Internet voting, proxy voting, etc. as is being done in other countries. 

He pointed out that India already has a limited form of postal voting but it is not accessed by enough people to create a meaningful impact towards making the electoral process more inclusive. Section 60(c) of the Representation of People Act, 1951 provides for Election Commission to notify a class of persons, in consultation with the Government, to be entitled to exercise their right to vote by way of postal ballot. So Election Commission can, in consultation with the Government, notify overseas Indians, migrant workers, students studying abroad, unwell and senior citizens “as a class of persons” to whom the right to vote by way of postal ballot can be extended.

Mr Jindal conveyed to the Chief Election Commissioner that the purpose of this effort is to make the electoral process in India far more inclusive and far less cumbersome, so that each and every Indian is able to exercise not only the right to vote, but also have the opportunity to vote. 

The Chief Election Commissioner assured that the Election Commission will look into feasibility of extending absentee voting rights to various categories of voters.

It may be noted that Mr. Jindal has been pursuing this matter relentlessly for several years. He has been constantly raising this issue inside and outside the Parliament and has also made representations to the Ministry of Law and Justice & Election Commission. 

- See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=46563#sthash.mVA8hCii.dpuf

New Delhi: Mr Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), met the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr.V.S Sampat, regarding the important issue of absentee voting. He said that Indian democracy is based on the basic framework of ensuring the right to vote of all citizens who are eligible to vote. But in practice, the enforcement of this right is undermined by the existing legal and regulatory regime.

In his meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner, the MP from Kurukshetra reiterated his concern on the fact that there are no provisions in Indian law to enable migrant workers within India (estimated to be over 100 millions), students studying abroad (more than 80,000 per annum go to US alone), travelling business professionals and senior or unwell citizens who may not be able to travel to the polling booth, to vote in an alternative manner. Subsequently, he raised the point that while voting right was granted to the citizens of India, who are living abroad but have not acquired Citizenship of any other country; however, after getting registered with the local Electoral Registration Officer by making application in Form 6, they have to be physically present at the polling booth on the day of the election to register their vote. Mr Jindal mentioned that the Government, in its reply to a question raised by him in Loksabha on 21.03.2013, stated that only 13 overseas electors voted in the legislative assembly elections of 5 States i.e. Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand & Uttar Pradesh, held in the year 2012. 

Mr. Jindal again stressed that in the true spirit of Indian democracy, it is imperative that the country now expands the postal ballot system to allow all Indian citizens to exercise their right to vote by post or any other form of absentee voting, such as Internet voting, proxy voting, etc. as is being done in other countries. 

He pointed out that India already has a limited form of postal voting but it is not accessed by enough people to create a meaningful impact towards making the electoral process more inclusive. Section 60(c) of the Representation of People Act, 1951 provides for Election Commission to notify a class of persons, in consultation with the Government, to be entitled to exercise their right to vote by way of postal ballot. So Election Commission can, in consultation with the Government, notify overseas Indians, migrant workers, students studying abroad, unwell and senior citizens “as a class of persons” to whom the right to vote by way of postal ballot can be extended.

Mr Jindal conveyed to the Chief Election Commissioner that the purpose of this effort is to make the electoral process in India far more inclusive and far less cumbersome, so that each and every Indian is able to exercise not only the right to vote, but also have the opportunity to vote. 

The Chief Election Commissioner assured that the Election Commission will look into feasibility of extending absentee voting rights to various categories of voters.

It may be noted that Mr. Jindal has been pursuing this matter relentlessly for several years. He has been constantly raising this issue inside and outside the Parliament and has also made representations to the Ministry of Law and Justice & Election Commission. 

- See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=46563#sthash.mVA8hCii.dpuf

New Delhi: Mr Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), met the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr.V.S Sampat, regarding the important issue of absentee voting. He said that Indian democracy is based on the basic framework of ensuring the right to vote of all citizens who are eligible to vote. But in practice, the enforcement of this right is undermined by the existing legal and regulatory regime.

In his meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner, the MP from Kurukshetra reiterated his concern on the fact that there are no provisions in Indian law to enable migrant workers within India (estimated to be over 100 millions), students studying abroad (more than 80,000 per annum go to US alone), travelling business professionals and senior or unwell citizens who may not be able to travel to the polling booth, to vote in an alternative manner. Subsequently, he raised the point that while voting right was granted to the citizens of India, who are living abroad but have not acquired Citizenship of any other country; however, after getting registered with the local Electoral Registration Officer by making application in Form 6, they have to be physically present at the polling booth on the day of the election to register their vote. Mr Jindal mentioned that the Government, in its reply to a question raised by him in Loksabha on 21.03.2013, stated that only 13 overseas electors voted in the legislative assembly elections of 5 States i.e. Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand & Uttar Pradesh, held in the year 2012. 

Mr. Jindal again stressed that in the true spirit of Indian democracy, it is imperative that the country now expands the postal ballot system to allow all Indian citizens to exercise their right to vote by post or any other form of absentee voting, such as Internet voting, proxy voting, etc. as is being done in other countries. 

He pointed out that India already has a limited form of postal voting but it is not accessed by enough people to create a meaningful impact towards making the electoral process more inclusive. Section 60(c) of the Representation of People Act, 1951 provides for Election Commission to notify a class of persons, in consultation with the Government, to be entitled to exercise their right to vote by way of postal ballot. So Election Commission can, in consultation with the Government, notify overseas Indians, migrant workers, students studying abroad, unwell and senior citizens “as a class of persons” to whom the right to vote by way of postal ballot can be extended.

Mr Jindal conveyed to the Chief Election Commissioner that the purpose of this effort is to make the electoral process in India far more inclusive and far less cumbersome, so that each and every Indian is able to exercise not only the right to vote, but also have the opportunity to vote. 

The Chief Election Commissioner assured that the Election Commission will look into feasibility of extending absentee voting rights to various categories of voters.

It may be noted that Mr. Jindal has been pursuing this matter relentlessly for several years. He has been constantly raising this issue inside and outside the Parliament and has also made representations to the Ministry of Law and Justice & Election Commission. 

- See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=46563#sthash.mVA8hCii.dpuf

New Delhi: Mr Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), met the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr.V.S Sampat, regarding the important issue of absentee voting. He said that Indian democracy is based on the basic framework of ensuring the right to vote of all citizens who are eligible to vote. But in practice, the enforcement of this right is undermined by the existing legal and regulatory regime.

In his meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner, the MP from Kurukshetra reiterated his concern on the fact that there are no provisions in Indian law to enable migrant workers within India (estimated to be over 100 millions), students studying abroad (more than 80,000 per annum go to US alone), travelling business professionals and senior or unwell citizens who may not be able to travel to the polling booth, to vote in an alternative manner. Subsequently, he raised the point that while voting right was granted to the citizens of India, who are living abroad but have not acquired Citizenship of any other country; however, after getting registered with the local Electoral Registration Officer by making application in Form 6, they have to be physically present at the polling booth on the day of the election to register their vote. Mr Jindal mentioned that the Government, in its reply to a question raised by him in Loksabha on 21.03.2013, stated that only 13 overseas electors voted in the legislative assembly elections of 5 States i.e. Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand & Uttar Pradesh, held in the year 2012. 

Mr. Jindal again stressed that in the true spirit of Indian democracy, it is imperative that the country now expands the postal ballot system to allow all Indian citizens to exercise their right to vote by post or any other form of absentee voting, such as Internet voting, proxy voting, etc. as is being done in other countries. 

He pointed out that India already has a limited form of postal voting but it is not accessed by enough people to create a meaningful impact towards making the electoral process more inclusive. Section 60(c) of the Representation of People Act, 1951 provides for Election Commission to notify a class of persons, in consultation with the Government, to be entitled to exercise their right to vote by way of postal ballot. So Election Commission can, in consultation with the Government, notify overseas Indians, migrant workers, students studying abroad, unwell and senior citizens “as a class of persons” to whom the right to vote by way of postal ballot can be extended.

Mr Jindal conveyed to the Chief Election Commissioner that the purpose of this effort is to make the electoral process in India far more inclusive and far less cumbersome, so that each and every Indian is able to exercise not only the right to vote, but also have the opportunity to vote. 

The Chief Election Commissioner assured that the Election Commission will look into feasibility of extending absentee voting rights to various categories of voters.

It may be noted that Mr. Jindal has been pursuing this matter relentlessly for several years. He has been constantly raising this issue inside and outside the Parliament and has also made representations to the Ministry of Law and Justice & Election Commission. 

- See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=46563#sthash.mVA8hCii.dpuf

New Delhi: Mr Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), met the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr.V.S Sampat, regarding the important issue of absentee voting. He said that Indian democracy is based on the basic framework of ensuring the right to vote of all citizens who are eligible to vote. But in practice, the enforcement of this right is undermined by the existing legal and regulatory regime.

In his meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner, the MP from Kurukshetra reiterated his concern on the fact that there are no provisions in Indian law to enable migrant workers within India (estimated to be over 100 millions), students studying abroad (more than 80,000 per annum go to US alone), travelling business professionals and senior or unwell citizens who may not be able to travel to the polling booth, to vote in an alternative manner. Subsequently, he raised the point that while voting right was granted to the citizens of India, who are living abroad but have not acquired Citizenship of any other country; however, after getting registered with the local Electoral Registration Officer by making application in Form 6, they have to be physically present at the polling booth on the day of the election to register their vote. Mr Jindal mentioned that the Government, in its reply to a question raised by him in Loksabha on 21.03.2013, stated that only 13 overseas electors voted in the legislative assembly elections of 5 States i.e. Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand & Uttar Pradesh, held in the year 2012. 

Mr. Jindal again stressed that in the true spirit of Indian democracy, it is imperative that the country now expands the postal ballot system to allow all Indian citizens to exercise their right to vote by post or any other form of absentee voting, such as Internet voting, proxy voting, etc. as is being done in other countries. 

He pointed out that India already has a limited form of postal voting but it is not accessed by enough people to create a meaningful impact towards making the electoral process more inclusive. Section 60(c) of the Representation of People Act, 1951 provides for Election Commission to notify a class of persons, in consultation with the Government, to be entitled to exercise their right to vote by way of postal ballot. So Election Commission can, in consultation with the Government, notify overseas Indians, migrant workers, students studying abroad, unwell and senior citizens “as a class of persons” to whom the right to vote by way of postal ballot can be extended.

Mr Jindal conveyed to the Chief Election Commissioner that the purpose of this effort is to make the electoral process in India far more inclusive and far less cumbersome, so that each and every Indian is able to exercise not only the right to vote, but also have the opportunity to vote. 

The Chief Election Commissioner assured that the Election Commission will look into feasibility of extending absentee voting rights to various categories of voters.

It may be noted that Mr. Jindal has been pursuing this matter relentlessly for several years. He has been constantly raising this issue inside and outside the Parliament and has also made representations to the Ministry of Law and Justice & Election Commission. 

- See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=46563#sthash.mVA8hCii.dpuf

New Delhi: Mr Naveen Jindal, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), met the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr.V.S Sampat, regarding the important issue of absentee voting. He said that Indian democracy is based on the basic framework of ensuring the right to vote of all citizens who are eligible to vote. But in practice, the enforcement of this right is undermined by the existing legal and regulatory regime.

In his meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner, the MP from Kurukshetra reiterated his concern on the fact that there are no provisions in Indian law to enable migrant workers within India (estimated to be over 100 millions), students studying abroad (more than 80,000 per annum go to US alone), travelling business professionals and senior or unwell citizens who may not be able to travel to the polling booth, to vote in an alternative manner. Subsequently, he raised the point that while voting right was granted to the citizens of India, who are living abroad but have not acquired Citizenship of any other country; however, after getting registered with the local Electoral Registration Officer by making application in Form 6, they have to be physically present at the polling booth on the day of the election to register their vote. Mr Jindal mentioned that the Government, in its reply to a question raised by him in Loksabha on 21.03.2013, stated that only 13 overseas electors voted in the legislative assembly elections of 5 States i.e. Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand & Uttar Pradesh, held in the year 2012. 

Mr. Jindal again stressed that in the true spirit of Indian democracy, it is imperative that the country now expands the postal ballot system to allow all Indian citizens to exercise their right to vote by post or any other form of absentee voting, such as Internet voting, proxy voting, etc. as is being done in other countries. 

He pointed out that India already has a limited form of postal voting but it is not accessed by enough people to create a meaningful impact towards making the electoral process more inclusive. Section 60(c) of the Representation of People Act, 1951 provides for Election Commission to notify a class of persons, in consultation with the Government, to be entitled to exercise their right to vote by way of postal ballot. So Election Commission can, in consultation with the Government, notify overseas Indians, migrant workers, students studying abroad, unwell and senior citizens “as a class of persons” to whom the right to vote by way of postal ballot can be extended.

Mr Jindal conveyed to the Chief Election Commissioner that the purpose of this effort is to make the electoral process in India far more inclusive and far less cumbersome, so that each and every Indian is able to exercise not only the right to vote, but also have the opportunity to vote. 

The Chief Election Commissioner assured that the Election Commission will look into feasibility of extending absentee voting rights to various categories of voters.

It may be noted that Mr. Jindal has been pursuing this matter relentlessly for several years. He has been constantly raising this issue inside and outside the Parliament and has also made representations to the Ministry of Law and Justice & Election Commission. 

- See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=46563#sthash.mVA8hCii.dpuf

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Naveen Jindal and the New Normal

The intense scrutiny on his dual life hasn’t deterred politician-cum-industrialist Naveen Jindal. He is firm on his eventual goal: To become a full-time public servant. But, first, he has to fix his company.

 Naveen Jindal started taking risks early: More precisely, at the age of six, when his father OP Jindal gifted him a horse on his birthday. He would often fall off the animal, cutting and bruising himself. But the more he rode, the better he felt. “When I ride, nothing else enters my mind. I feel free,” Jindal would say years later.

And he has continued to pick himself up, even in adulthood. An accomplished polo player now, Jindal was captaining his Jindal Steel & Power (JSPL) team in the finals of the Ambassadors Cup in 2012 when his horse suddenly reared up. He fell on his back, suffering two fractures. The injuries didn’t deter him; in just a year, he is back in the saddle, as it were, with the polo season warming up for the 2013 season. Whenever he is in the capital, the 43-year-old clocks in at 6.30 am sharp at his farmhouse off the expressway in Noida and rides his favourite horse Sue for a couple of hours.

“Polo is inherently a hazardous and dangerous sport. Anything can happen while I am on the horse. It gives me courage as I am prepared for anything,” Jindal tells Forbes India in his office on the top floor of Jindal Centre at Delhi’s Bhikaji Cama Place. As an afterthought, the chairman of JSPL adds, “If I can do that in sport, then I can do it in life too.”

That fearlessness has shaped Jindal, who juggles two difficult roles: Chairman of the $3.5 billion JSPL and a two-time Member of Parliament (MP) from Kurukshetra in Haryana. Even as a 24-year-old, he fought government norms that barred citizens from flying the national flag round the year. [After a seven-year legal battle, Jindal won the case in the Supreme Court, allowing Indians to hoist the tiranga all 365 days.] A decade later, Jindal became the youngest industrialist to be elected to Lok Sabha, defeating the more favoured Abhay Singh Chautala, son of former Haryana chief minister OP Chautala.

In 2000, as the managing director of JSPL, Jindal spent Rs 1,000 crore to set up a factory in Raigarh to manufacture rails, pitting himself against Steel Authority of India Ltd that has a monopoly in the product category. He is yet to break the public sector behemoth’s stronghold in the segment. Jindal is now trying to use coal gasification technology to run his new steel plant in Angul, Odisha; this has not been attempted anywhere else in the world, he says.

These gambles pale in comparison to what Jindal has been preparing for over the last two years. “I spend almost 75 percent of my time on my public responsibilities today... I would like to be full-time in public life in the next two years,” says Jindal, whose aspiration for bigger “responsibilities” in public life is well known. In an interview to a television channel last year, Jindal revealed that if given a chance, he would want to become the chief minister of Haryana. While talking to Forbes India too, he gave enough hints about his wish to be a minister in the Central government.

It is unusual for an active industrialist to dive into the topsy-turvy world of Indian politics. The move is one laden with chance because separating the two worlds, as he has experienced of late, is almost impossible. Politically, his business has made Jindal an “easy target”, and the uncertainty has hurt JSPL’s stock that has nosedived in the past year.

But Jindal isn’t giving up on his attempts to make his political career immune from his responsibilities at JSPL. The steel and power empire is seeing unprecedented changes. Till two years ago, JSPL’s top officials belonged to the OP Jindal days. But, today, a new crop of leadership holds sway at the company. There is a new managing director and chief executive, Ravi Uppal, who joined in October 2012. A former veteran at the multinational, ABB, Uppal headed L&T Power in his last stint. He, in turn, brought in an ex-colleague from ABB, K Rajagopal, as chief financial officer. There have been several other appointments across business segments.

The transition has not been smooth: Some of the JSPL old-timers, including Deputy Managing Director Sushil Maroo and Vice-Chairman Vikrant Gujral, were unhappy with the changes and put in their papers. Jindal had asked Maroo, who was earlier tipped to be the next CEO, to stay on for two more years but he chose to move on to Essar Energy as CEO. Jindal, though, is not overly concerned. “For me to give away control, I needed to hire people who were smarter, more knowledgeable and experienced than me,” he says.

Jindal, at present, functions as chairman. “We want to be a professionally-run organisation, like an institution,” he says. The new management is establishing effective systems and processes and Jindal doesn’t rule out the possibility of becoming a non-executive chairman soon.

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