Jindal Stainless Ltd, Jajpur Road, Orissa

Up here in Jajpur Road, Orissa, things are a bit different than the northern plants. I spend my time as a manager for the project mechanical side, specifically dealing with the Ferro Manganese and Silico Manganese projects. It is a lot of heavy engineering and making sure the furnaces are holding up under the pressure. The Jajpur district is known for this kind of work, and the red dust from the mines and plants gets into everything. We don't have a fancy office with air conditioning that works all the time. Instead, we spend our days out where the machines are, checking on the FeMn and SiMn outputs. The heat in Orissa can be pretty intense, especially when you are standing near a project that involves melting metal. We have to be very practical about how we handle the equipment because if something breaks, it’s a big headache for everyone involved. My job is basically to make sure the mechanical parts keep moving and the projects stay on some kind of schedule. We don't talk about missions or visions; we talk about spare parts, welding, and how to get the lorries through the mud when the monsoon hits. It is a rugged way to make a living, but there is a certain satisfaction in seeing a project finally come together after months of planning and hard physical labor in the sun.