Sushil Tyagi
November 15, 2021
DGM, SMS Operations, Hisar
Our Bauji, Shri O P Jindal said, “For some men, destiny isn’t written unless they write it.” Our Stainless Spirit story of this month features someone who lives by this quote. Introducing DGM, SMS Operations, Hisar, Mr Sushil Tyagi!
Coming from an educational background which had no relation with metallurgy, it was his determination which led him to not just pursue career in SMS but also, make it large! He proves that where there’s a will, there’s way. How did his encounter with Bauji inspire his transition from the Quality Lab to SMS? Read the story to know.
Tell us something about your life before Jindal Stainless.
I was born in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh. I come from a humble background, but my parents were intellectuals. They used to read a lot and there was always an environment of political and other discussions at my house. My parents raised the voices against societal evils even in that era. Due the environment at home, I had inclination towards reading. I was also very active during my academic years, so I became the Commander of NCC. I never missed a chance to show my leadership skills and also enjoyed being on stage. After 12th standard, I joined college and completed my degree in B.Sc. in 1988.
How has the journey of Jindal Stainless been for you?
I joined Jindal Strips Limited on August 10, 1990 as a Chemist in the Quality Lab. This profile is nowhere related to what I am doing now and there is a very interesting story behind this shift. It was the time of appraisals and I got to know that in SMS has received better appraisals. To address this issue, I went to my superior, Mr R G Garg. Fortunately, when I went there, he was sitting with Mr O P Jindal. So, I confronted Bauji and asked him the reason for this. He replied, “Working in SMS is like walking on the edge of a sword. If you want, you can upskill yourself and work in SMS.” That day, I decided to shift to SMS. I learnt a lot about it on my own and finally made it to SMS.
I have worked in AOD, then SMS-2, LRF, and after that, Furnace and Charging. I learnt a lot everywhere. I have always been sincere. Till date, there’s no single day when I’ve punched-in late.
There have been many incidents where the situation was critical but our team was able to overcome the challenges. One such incident that I remember is that VP, Mr Awanindra Kumar Singh was in Hisar and some operator, by mistake, opened double charge in the furnace. Mr Singh got concerned and asked me how we are going to fix that. I promised him that we will figure out something. Mr Singh was impressed that we fixed it quickly in around 1.5 hours.
After that, I was sent to SMS-1 and with positive attitude and determination, I was able to achieve the designated target. Then, I was again sent to SMS-2 and post that, I was made SMS-1 in-charge in 2011. Since then, I am working here. My team has broken many records here. We have accepted all challenges with open arms and learned through all of them. Recently, we developed defence grade heat in SMS which was never done before. This successful breakthrough is very close to my heart. I am thankful to my seniors for trusting me and my team; this has always been a big motivation for us to sail through never-seen-before challenges.
3- Share some memorable experience from work.
For employees, the most memorable moment is when their hard work is recognised. In March 2021, I was given the Stainless Achiever award by our MD, Mr Abhyuday Jindal. I still wear that hat with pride and can say that it was THE most memorable moment from my career of over three decades. One more thing which I can remember is that I was given the ‘Best Learner’ award in my Masterful Management batch. Other than these, there have been many moments where I took up a challenge and completed it. My mantra has always been to do my best with a positive attitude. So, those moments have also been precious.
4- What do you prefer to do in spare time?
I’ve always been an avid reader. I have read authors like Maxim Gorky, Leo Tolstoy, Premchand, Sharatchandra etc. Even my wife is an avid reader, so we share this interest. She keeps looking for good books or articles online to keep herself updated.
5- What is your message to the Jindal Stainless family?
I would like to say that one can’t get another place like this to work, where there are so many opportunities to learn and grow. There is unlimited scope and the seniors are always supportive. So, I would give this message that be it a small or big work, one should do that with ownership. One should also have a growth mindset. Always look for what’s new in your respective field and keep yourself updated with the latest developments happening globally. I believe that ‘mindset sukhad jeevan ke liye chabhi hai’ (mindset is the key of a successful life). If we have growth mindset, no hindrance can affect us.
