Need to be in tune with time: Sanjay Lohiya on Khanij Diwas

Indian Bureau of Mines in commemoration of its 74^rd Foundation Day on March 1, 2021 observed the Day as Khanij Diwas. Delivering the Presidential address,  Sanjay Lohiya, Joint Secretary to the Government of India & Controller General IBM, described the day as momentous one that signifies IBM’s status as the country’s foremost organisation of excellence. He spoke on the forays made by IBM in various technological fronts in its endeavour to efficiently govern the mining & mineral development activities in the country.

The need to be in tune with time and integrating the technological know how in diverse aspects to improvise the Mineral Regime of the country must get top of IBM’s agenda of growth. Lohiya extended greetings on behalf of IBM to all the assembled dignitaries, ex-colleagues and serving members of IBM family. This year in compliance with the fresh norms put out by the Civic Authorities  on account of the resurgence of Covid-19 cases in Nagpur and restrictions imposed thereof, it was decided to hold the celebrations of IBM’s Foundation Day in a virtual mode.

To mark the occasion the events of the day were organised online. This year for the first time the function to commemorate IBM’s Foundation Day, i.e., Khanij Diwas was organised through web support digitally via dedicated web links created for this purpose. The entire Bureau got web-connected and about 100 participants located at different parts of the country were unified digitally to witness the proceedings of the function.  
           

The dignitaries who adorned the digital platform to grace the occasion included Sanjay Lohiya, Joint Secretary to the Govt of India & Controller General   IBM;  PN Sharma, Chief Controller of Mines–MDR (I/c  Pankaj Kulshrestha, Chief Controller of Mines–MES (I/c) and Dr PK Jain, Chief Mineral Economist & Head of the Organising Committee. The digital dais was also graciously occupied by Dr DK Sinha, Director, Atomic Mineral Directorate for Exploration & Research, Hyderabad, as Chief Guest of the occasion and Dr Ashok Nandi, Consultant at Mineral Information & Development Centre, Nagpur, was the Guest of Honour.  Besides, a host of special invitees that included the former Controller General, IBM, namely, Indira Ravindran honoured the programme with their dignified presence. The programme interlinked by web support had participants from across the country —from all Regional Offices, Zonal Offices and Ore Dressing Laboratories besides a sizeable number from the Headquarters of IBM.
           

Addressing the audience from Hyderabad, the Chief Guest, Dr DK Sinha, congratulated IBM for putting behind 73 years of exemplary service and for its transformation into a Premier Organisation of Govt of India that controls & regulates mines & mineral development activities in the country. Stressing that IBM and AMD share a common past, Dr Sinha traced the areas of commonality between IBM and AMD. Complimenting IBM for serving the Nation’s cause by its efficient management of the country’s mineral resources, Dr Sinha made special mention of Mining Surveillance System and Star-rating of Mines. Extending best wishes on IBM’s Foundation Day, Dr Sinha said the potential of IBM should get unfolded in areas of technological innovations in the mineral administration systems .
           

Speaking on the occasion, the Guest of Honour Ashok Nandi showered praise on IBM for its 74^rd Foundation Day and laid emphasis on synergies that are must between various entities in the field of mining & mineral development. Dr Nandi in his Technical Lecture recounted the various aspects of mining especially bauxite operations and outlined the specificities of alumina plants in India and compared them with that of the world in his presentation titled ‘A Glimpse of Worldwide Bauxite-Alumina Industry and Prospects in India’. Dr Nandi elaborately explained the bauxite-alumina-aluminium value chain and compared India’s status in demand-supply of bauxite with that of other countries. 

Highlighting that India has tremendous potentialities to meet the target of 10 mtpa production of aluminium, he said improved technology in beneficiation of low-grade ore and discovery of new economically viable deposits of bauxite could help achieving this end. In his brief introductory address, P N Sharma, Chief Controller of Mines–MDR (I/c), IBM, welcomed the distinguished dignitaries, ex-colleagues & guests and  provided a gist of IBM’s growth trajectory from its inception to the present and Shri Pankaj Kulshrestha, Chief Controller of Mines–MES (I/c), listed out the achievements of IBM and highlighted that the present circumstance has become challenging and the need for buckling up and facing the challenges would require great resolve and converging of competencies in all domains under minerals and mining.    

 Earlier, in his inaugural address, Dr P K Jain, Chief Mineral Economist, briefed the audience regarding the special efforts that had to be put into organising the programme on account of the prevailing pandemic situation. He also traced the paths of IBM’s growth trajectory and mentioned the various milestone-achievements and watershed moments that IBM had surpassed in its illustrious existence. The programme of the day conducted under the stewardship of Sanjay Lohiya, Joint Secretary to the Govt of India & Controller General (I/c) IBM was compered by Deepti Chaurasia, and the vote of thanks was proposed by Gourav Sharma, Deputy Mineral Economist, IBM.