PIB Steel Ministry

A session on ‘Lessons in Leadership: In Conversation with Dr. Sanak Mishra’ held at SAIL, Rourkela Steel Plant A special programme titled ‘Lessons in Leadership: In Conversation with Dr. Sanak Mishra’ was held at Gopabandhu Auditorium of SAIL, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) on 16th October 2026. Mr. Alok Verma, Director In-Charge, RSP was the Chief Guest of the function, while Dr. Sanak Mishra, Former Managing Director, was the keynote speaker and Dr. Atanu Bhowmick, Former Director-In-Charge, RSP, was the Guest of Honor of the program. The programme provided an opportunity to the 500 employees participating in the session to draw lessons from experiences of three outstanding leaders. In his address Dr. Mishra took thee participants on an extraordinary journey, not only through the history of Rourkela Steel Plant's legendary turnaround in the early 2000s, but deep into the very philosophy of what makes a leader. He emphasised that leadership is contextual, it is rooted in the specific realities of our environment rather than generic formulas. Elaborating on the foundational pillars of leadership Dr. Mishra reinforced that true leadership begins within, drawing from the bedrock of values, culture, heritage, and tradition. It is about harnessing the power of mindset, behaviour, and actions to influence others positively. “While data and information are abundant, true leadership requires Prajna, the comprehension. It is comprehension that allows a leader to connect disparate dots, engineer innovations, and formulate a winning strategy rather than just looking for short-term fixes, said Dr Mishra. The programme also featured an interactive session where several young employees enthusiastically came forward to pose questions on a wide range of topics, spanning ambition, happiness, motivation, and personal responsibility to talent retention and the role of women in leadership. Dr. Mishra addressed each query with profound wisdom, providing a comprehensive, 360-degree perspective. The philosophical foundation laid by Dr. Mishra was wonderfully complemented by the practical, hands-on wisdom shared by Dr. Atanu Bhowmick from his 36 years on the shop floor. In his address, Dr. Bhowmick advised employees to develop the competence to solve difficult problems, the courage to lead change, the humility to keep learning, and the compassion to bring people along. 'It is your responsibility to ensure that Rourkela Steel Plant remains the jewel in the crown of SAIL,' he added. Expressing profound gratitude to Dr. Mishra for an enlightening and inspiring session, Mr. Verma noted that employees and their families remain deeply indebted to him for steering the plant away from its darkest hours and transforming it into a profitable, prosperous unit. 'Today, we are enjoying the fruits of the historic efforts made by Dr. Mishra to rescue Rourkela Steel Plant from a phase where it was almost written off, turning it into an enterprise that simply cannot be ignored,' he stated. The Director In-Charge exhorted the collective to embrace courage, the bedrock of true leadership and highlighted the enduring relevance of these leadership lessons in the plant's ongoing journey of growth and transformation. The programme was coordinated by Mr. Joydev Majumdar, Asst. Manager (PR).