Mukesh’s Mettle.
August 15, 2020
In this edition of Abhivyakti, let’s look at the journey of AM, SPD, Mr Mukesh Sekwaria from Hisar. He is the perfect example of starting small and making it large. His exciting tenure of 13 years has been fiddled with many innovations and improvement initiatives, and of course, endless learning! Read on to know why he terms Jindal Stainless as the best thing that has happened to his career.
Tell us about your life before Jindal Stainless?
I was born and brought up in Jaora, a city in Madhya Pradesh – the heart of India. I pursued Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from Government Polytechnic, Jaora. Then, I started my professional journey from Uttam Galva Steels in Kapoli, Maharashtra. I worked there for three years as a Technical Level Operator. I joined Jindal Stainless’ Hisar plant in 2007 and it has been a wonderful journey since then.
Describe your first few years at Jindal Stainless.
I joined as a Junior Engineer in 2007. At that time, I was assisted by one helper. And today, I am a team leader, managing a team of 35 people. I started out working as an Operator in the Tension Leveler Line. It is a very advanced and specialized line where the Precision Strips are subjected to traction force to eliminate the internal stress and achieve maximum degree of flatness. It is a matter of pride for all of us that from 2007 to 2017 under the guidance of our supervisors, we have increased the production in this line by manifolds.
Whai is your most memorable moment at Jindal Stainless?
As a team, we have achieved many milestones through continuous innovation and hard work in my tenure here. Each moment of such successes has been memorable and special for me. With time, I was entrusted with more and more responsibilities, which I am glad I was able to carry out. At first, I was made In-charge of the Bright Annealing line. There is constantly increasing market demand for bright annealed stainless steel of impeccable quality. The Tension Leveler and Bright Annealing Lines are the lifelines of the Specialty Products Division (SPD) and I’m honoured to have worked at both. In 2013, I was also given the charge of the Slitting Line. The function of the Slitting Line is to break down coils into smaller pieces based on the customers’ needs. My team and I have rolled coils of 520mm width exceeding our previous limit of 450mm, leading to huge cost benifits. We also reduced the thickness of the coil from .07mm to .05mm, and we did all this through internal modifications. For this, we were awarded with Star Reward in 2013 and I also got appreciated by VP, Mr Rajinder Raina. This motivated me a lot and is still one of my fondest memories here. In 2015, I was given the charge of the Inco Tension Leveler 2. This is now the model machine under TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) and we have achieved highest-ever production of 500 MT in August 2019.
What do you like to do in your spare time ?
I love watching masala potboilers of Bollywood. Welcome is one of my favourite entertainment movies, and I have seen it umpteen number of times. I love travelling and visiting beaches, and I am planning a trip to Goa with my family in the coming days, once COVID-19 is behind us.
What’s your message to the stainless family?
Jindal Stainless is the best thing that happened to me in my professional career. My hardwork has always been appreciated and has earned me a good career path. My message to my Jindal Stainless family is that this is a place which gives endless growth opportunities to its employees. So, one should exploit these opportunities to the fullest in order to achieve success. This place helps satiate your hunger for innovation and improvement, and offers the best opportunities for sharpening your engineering skills, and we must respect that. Furthermore, all team members here work as a family and help each other personally and professionally. For me, it is my learning ground and I’m forever thankful to it.
