Padamjit Singh – A legend with a mission to improve power sector
Er Padamjit Singh, who completed 77 years a few days back, is a legend with a mission.to improve the working of the power sector while keeping in the public sector.
He is a source of inspiration for the engineers of the power sector of the whole country, a torch that saves the power sector in the public sector. He is a doyen of power engineers, the epitome of honesty and insuppressible integrity.
He is a revered name amongst the power engineer fraternity of the country and is known for his extraordinary simplicity, honesty, and technical competence.
Er Padamjit Singh graduated at the age of 22 from IIT Delhi in 1967 doing a B.Tech. In electrical engineering and joined Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) in January 1968 and was posted in BBMB. He worked at Bhakra Power House for 8 years and suggested upgrading units during those times. Wherever he served, he left his mark with his intelligent and straightforward way of working and has made an enormous contribution to the power sector
He has led power engineers from the front at state, regional and national levels in various capacities. He has been associated with the PSEB Engineers Association and worked as President/ General Secretary of the Association a number of times. Simultaneously he also headed the All-Indian Power Engineers Federation (AIPEF) as Chairman and Secretary General. Presently he is the Chief Patron of AIPEF.
After serving PSEB for about 35 years, he retired as Chief Engineer He always worked for the welfare of PSEB engineers and employees.
He always fought against corruption in the department and put his views in a forceful manner before the management without an ego.
This is on record that due to his efforts P.S.E.B. was able to save crores of rupees in power purchase after he planned the purchase of power from the national grid and other sources in a meticulous manner.
After retirement, he has been doing selfless service for the improvement of the power sector of the country. He has been writing to various government authorities pointing out various deficiencies in proposed schemes and suggesting remedial measures.
Padamjit is a bachelor with his trademark bicycle pedals every day in Patiala for the last 45 years. He always moves about on the bicycle from one place to another to perform his official, association duties and for doing social service.He has been helping the needy from his own pocket whether at Pingalwara or some individual.
He filed a petition in the Supreme Court against Sasan Power Ltd. and others
and secured positive order from the apex court which saved undue benefit of Rs 1050 crore being given to M/s Reliance Infra where common consumers of seven procurer States would have been affected He was a key person who led from the front and bore all legal expenses from his personal fund.
A donation of Rupees one crore was given by the top management of Damodar
Valley Corporation in the name of the 33rd National Games held at Guwahati in February 2007, was refunded by the Party in February 2009 after his complaint followed by RTI requests. The then Chairman, along with Addl. Secretary of DVC was served a charge sheet for major punishment on the direction of CVC on the basis of his complaint.
He is advocating reform in the power sector by keeping them in the public sector
by his empirical research, letters, and emails to the central government and other authorities aimed at improvement in the functioning of the power sector.
