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S C Mittal
ED (Management Services & IT)
IFFCO
My association with IFFCO: 21 Years
A brief background of my professional journey before IFFCO
I started my professional journey with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Ranipur, Hardwar in 1974 where I was responsible for introduction of computers and computerization of their entire design division. My first project there was to reverse engineer Kaplan Runner in a hydro-turbine system.
In 1976, I moved to Bokaro Steel Limited where I worked on various commercial and production planning applications. My most significant achievement there was the development of a "Disk Resident Monitoring System" for IBM 1401 Card Reader, for which I was awarded the Metallurgists Day Award by SAIL.
I then joined Modi Rubber Limited in 1983, where I was responsible for development of production planning and control applications.
My tenure with IFFCO
Finally, in 1986, I moved to Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO). The company is one of the largest fertilizer manufacturers in the world. At IFFCO, I have been responsible for planning and implementation of IT and Networking needs of the organization. I was the first professional at IFFCO’s Head Office who contributed towards setting up of the company’s IT Division, selection of technology, manpower, training, retraining and introduction of computerization in various disciplines of the organization.
Educational and Professional Ride
MSc. in Mathematics and post-Graduate Diploma in Computer Science
What technology stands for Me
For me, technology refers to the tools that are appreciated and understood by the users, and achieve their goal by making users’ life better, enhancing the productivity and profitability of an organization.
My biggest IT challenge as on date
My biggest IT challenge, so far, has been to computerize the Marketing and Distribution applications of IFFCO. This task relates to the rural segment of the society where one faces all sorts of problems such as educating the work force, acquiring electrical power, facilitating connectivity and handling maintenance issues. Another major IT challenge has been the introduction of IT for the benefit of Indian Agriculture and improvement of rural life.
My accomplishment on which I am most proud of
My most significant career accomplishment has been the computerization of most of the business processes at IFFCO and the recognition of the firm’s IT setup as one of the best in the fertilizer industry. We have developed and implemented an ERP system on HR at IFFCO, which is a suite of 25 applications that are fully integrated with other applications such as finance, materials and maintenance. IFFCO was also amongst one of the first corporates in India to have introduced an e-procurement system that is fully compliant with the Indian IT Act, 2000. We were well appreciated by the media, suppliers and internal users. For this accomplishment, I was awarded the CIO-100 award by the ‘CIO magazine’ last year.
Your Advice to Peers
The only advice from my side is to be patient, follow a systematic approach and accomplish smaller milestones towards a larger goal.
Book Read Recently: Santvaani
What do you like in that book, and why: It is a consolidation and compilation of preaching by great saints of India, which teaches us about how we should enlighten our lives.
Favorite automobile: Toyota Corolla
Favorite Music: Hind Melodies of Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar
One such person that you would want to meet: Dr. M.S. Swaminathan (He started Green Revolution in India)
If you weren't in IT, where would you be placed: I would have been a Mathematics Professor
------------------------------------------ As Told To Faiz Askari
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