Mining veteran and former NALCO CMD Tapan Chand joins BJP

Bhubaneswar: Mining veteran and former chairman-cum-managing director of National Aluminium Company (NALCO) Tapan Chand joined the BJP at the joining programme at the party’s State headquarters office here today.

The noted industry expert, who is currently the Resident Director of Vedanta Limited, has been in the mining and metal sector for over three decades since 1982. He had earlier served as Director Commercial of Visakhapatnam Steel plant, and Director Personnel and Director (Sales and Marketing) of Central Coalfields Limited. As part of his effort to give shape to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’, Chand had been instrumental in the coming up of Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), a joint venture of NALCO, HCL and MECL.

Taking NALCO to the global level as lowest cost producer of alumina and bauxite, Chand is also known for his unique CSR initiatives keeping the best interests of the people in mind like launching battery operated vehicles for the elderly, sick and differently-abled to visit the Jagannath Temple. Apart from undergoing training for advanced management at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane (Australia) and Western Europe, Chand is also an accomplished author with two books – “Aluminium- The Strategic Metal” and “Aluminium-The Future Metal” to his credit. Hailing Odisha as the Aluminium capital of not just India but South and South-East Asia, Chand has also headed the Odisha Chapter of the CII and Aluminium Association of India. For his steadfast dedication towards to work in public interest and contribution to the metal sector, Chand has been awarded the Excellence Performance Award by the President of India and Odisha Achievers Award by the Times of India.

His association with the BJP and affiliated organisations like the ABVP and RSS goes back to his early days with him being the President of the Students’ Union of ABVP during his stint at Utkal University.