To make a career in the power sector, it is important to improve your personality along with technical studies…

Manju Gupta– Executive Director Power Grid Corporation of India

QUICK INTRO

Birthplace: Delhi.

Education: Engineering from Delhi College of Engineering, Executive Business Course from Harvard University, Advanced Management Course from ISB.

Profession: Executive Director Power Grid Corporation of India.

 

It was fascinating to learn about Manju Gupta, Executive Director of Power Grid Corporation, about her career journey and work experience. Manju Gupta also offered tips for students aspiring to pursue a career in this field and shared important points about how to enhance their personality. Here are the highlights of the conversation:

When you decided to study electrical engineering, how did you envision your future? Did the power sector seem exciting, challenging, or just a safe career option?

In my time, there were only four main branches: electronics, electrical, mechanical, and civil. Mechanical was more machine-intensive. I wasn’t particularly interested in it, and civil was considered a good option at the time because it was a construction-related field, and corruption was rampant. I’m a principled person about these things, so I avoided it. I was left with electrical and I ended up with electrical engineering. Electronics was my only option.

In the counselling that used to take place in our time, I got selected in Delhi Institute of Technology. I attended what is now known as NSIT. I majored in Electronics, or Computer Science. But the college was brand new at the time. It had only opened a year earlier, whereas I had attended Delhi College of Engineering, an old, prestigious college. Back then, I prioritized the college over the branch and studied Electronics.

Regarding my job, I had already decided that I wouldn’t work in the private sector; I wanted to contribute to nation-building. To do that, I needed to join a company that developed infrastructure and contributed to the nation’s development. I’d always been interested in the power sector. Even during college and my internships, I found the sight of power lines and towers fascinating, and that’s when I decided I would work in this field.

Engineering, especially in the infrastructure and power sectors, has long been considered a male-dominated field. What has your experience been like as a young woman, both in college and at work?

I was the only girl in my batch when I joined NTPC. This was before Powergrid. I joined Powergrid in 1991. Before that, I had joined NTPC in 1988. But I never felt uncomfortable being the only girl or unable to do anything. The credit for this goes to my parents because from childhood, we never heard that because I was a girl, there were certain things I couldn’t do.

Looking back, how did your engineering education shape your career? What challenges did it prepare you for, and what did it not prepare you for?

See, when you go to college in any field

You study it, it creates a foundation for you, you learn the fundamentals and then you use a small portion of your studies for the kind of job you do.

By chance, the job I landed was quite technical, so I was able to fully utilize my electrical engineering degree. However, when you enter a job, your personality development is immense. In a job, you don’t just have technical tasks; you have to learn about finance, civil engineering, and policy. You observe how bureaucrats work, and what the company’s policies are. All of this contributes to your overall personality development.

When your role expanded beyond engineering to management and leadership, what learnings from your studies were most useful?

There are some fundamentals in engineering that you should study, especially if you study them carefully—that is, if you understand rather than memorize—then those lessons stay with you for life. I didn’t understand anything I studied that didn’t help me. Basic electrical was the most useful to me because, in my early days, I had to do everything in the department I was in. Then, I studied a little about computers, as they were just beginning at that time.

Personal computers weren’t around then, they were just server-related computers. I was passionate about programming at the time, and I utilized it as soon as I got a job, as it was something few people knew at the time, and I loved to try and learn new things.

Many students believe that success in engineering depends solely on technical knowledge. Your experience includes leadership and managing large projects.

What nontechnical skills are just as important to handle the responsibility?

Initially, anyone entering a company is at the entry level. Students shouldn’t just focus on their studies; they should also focus on overall personality development. Most importantly, take care of your health so that you’re ready to take on challenges and perform your best. Second, your self-confidence.

You will only gain this knowledge if you understand it and apply it. You must be able to use it; memorizing it won’t help. So, when you’re studying, understand how you’ll use it.

The energy sector is rapidly changing due to renewable energy, digital technology, artificial intelligence, and grid modernization. Where do you see this industry headed in the coming decade, and what should today’s young engineers be preparing for?

We still have core infrastructure, and core engineering, like thermal, is being used. But now the government is placing a lot of emphasis on nuclear power. It’s a very good option. You can read about it. There aren’t many transfers involved. Your plant is located in one location. However, emerging fields like renewable energy, solar panels, and battery energy storage are also gaining traction. These are promising fields, and if you look at artificial intelligence, there are a lot of digital initiatives taking place.

CAREER TIPS

  • Students should not only concentrate on studies but should also pay attention to their overall personality development.
  • There is good scope in renewable energy, solar wing and apart from that in battery energy storage field.

 

– Sonia Rana