Journey of a Geologist in TATA Steel

Arvind K. Prasad

Take Life as it comes to you; every day is a day of learning and great rejoice.” -Stand Tall

“Discipline, perseverance, style, and good entertainment is important for a person to be effective and progressive in the society.”

“People are more important than machine. It is the people who will finally run a modern machine… a strong rope is made from many threads.”

Arvind Prasad was inspired by Jamshedpur and the steel company in 1957, when he came from Hazaribagh. Luck finally brought him to the steel city and he got education in R.D. Tata Higher Secondary School, Jamshedpur. He studied Geology in Tata College, Chaibasa, courtesy Prof. P.S. Gupta and Nandu Babu which was another windfall. He received his Post Graduate degree in Geology obtaining gold medal from Ranchi University in 1972. He served Tata Steel in the Geological Department for 27 years and his long cherished desire was fulfilled. In this long journey, he was helped by many. Life is like a roller-coaster, like an ocean, which has crests and troughs. He was no exception. He worked in Joda, West Bokaro, Jamadoba and Noamundi in the wing of exploration, quality control and beneficiation. In this book, he describes his arduous journey—a mixture of failures and success. Under his supervision, many difficult boreholes were conducted in Jharia Group both from surface and underground. The databank of resources was refreshed. He contributed in the construction of three washeries at West Bokaro and Bhelatand respectively; which are lifeline of Tata Steel today. He interacted closely with doyens of Tata Steel like Dr. Jamshed J. Irani, Mr. Russi Mody, Y.P. Dhawan, which has been narrated in vivid details. He had brief meeting with Mr. J.R.D. Tata and Mr. Ratan Tata also. He is thankful to his mentors Mr C.D. Singh, Principal, R.D. Tata Higher Secondary School, Harihar Singh, Teacher, and Mr. R.S. Subramanian, Superintendent of the Geological Department, who guided him in the ladder of success and in framing the policy of his life. The book is written in memory of his close associate Pesi Tarapore, who left for heavenly abode little early. He also thanked other friends through this book, who shared the experience with him.

Arvind K. Prasad A.K. Prasad is an M.Sc (gold medalist) in Geology from Ranchi University (1972). He is also a Life-member of Indian Institute of Mineral Engineers (IIME), Mining Engineers Association of India (MEAI), Mining Geological and Metallurgical Institute of India (MGMI), Geological Society of India, Dignity-foundation, Mumbai, and friend of Foundation of Restoration National Values (FRNV), New Delhi.
He had worked in Tata Steel in Geological Services from 1973 to 2000.
He was the Chief-Business Development in M/s Ecomen Lab. Pvt. Ltd., Lucknow in 2004-2006 and Mines Advisor, Adhunik Group, Kolkata from 2006-2008. At present, he is the Resident Director-Delhi of L.M. Mineral Technologies, Raipur; Chief Executive at M/s Arvind Consultants, Gurgaon and Advisor, Action Minerals Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
He has contributed several technical papers in seminars of MEAI, Mineral Processing Technology (MPT) and in Monograph on Coal and Coke co-edited by Dr. Amit Chatterjee and P.V.T. Rao of Tata Steel.
He has good knowledge of field-geology and has specialised in coal geology and beneficiation techniques.