First ever Woman Chairperson of SAIL

“I know my selection goes a long way for the empowerment of women. I worked with passion and as much as any man would have worked…” 

That’s what Soma Mondal, the first ever woman to head one of the giant Maharatna Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) of India, Steel Authority of India (SAIL) had to say. India indeed scripted history and so did Soma Mondal.

After her significant achievement as the Director of SAIL, Mondal will take over as Chairperson of the Maharatna Public sector Undertakings (PSU) from Anil Kumar Chaudhary, who is retiring in December. Chaudhary has been in charge of the company since September 2018. Talking about the challenges she faced as a woman in the male-dominated industry, Mondal said, “I did not feel different anytime. In 2017 when I came to SAIL, people asked me what my challenges were. I told them there are two challenges, the first being my acceptance there and second was the direction of the steel market.” 

After her significant achievement as the Director of SAIL, Mondal will take over as Chairperson of the Maharatna Public sector Undertakings (PSU) from Anil Kumar Chaudhary, who is retiring in December. Chaudhary has been in charge of the company since September 2018.

Mondal completed her graduation in Electrical Engineering from NIT Rourkela and joined aluminium maker Nalco, Bhubaneswar, in 1984. She first worked as a Trainee and was later promoted as Director (Commercial), NALCO. She was also involved in various project implementation as part of the Technology Cell. She joined the SAIL family in 2017. A champion of women empowerment, Mondal said, “I know my selection goes a long way for the empowerment of women. I worked with passion and as much as any man would have worked.”

Mondal completed her graduation in Electrical Engineering from NIT Rourkela and joined aluminium maker Nalco, Bhubaneswar, in 1984. She first worked as a Trainee and was later promoted as Director (Commercial), NALCO. She was also involved in various project implementation as part of the Technology Cell. She joined the SAIL family in 2017.

Mondal comes from a Bengali family based in Bhubaneshwar, and her father was an Agricultural Economist. He wanted his daughter to become a doctor but she chose to be an engineer. Her husband was an engineer who worked with UTI. He passed away in 2005. She is now survived by three children, who she raised with the help of her parents and in-laws. Her achievements in the Aluminium Industry made a huge impact on her career. In March 2017, she became the first woman director of SAIL.

As she puts in: “Change should come in our efficiency and the driver of the change would be the employees of SAIL.” Hope Soma Mondal will succeed in showing a new direction to women empowerment in Public Sector in India.