NEW OFFICE BEARERS ELECTED FOR CII ODISHA STATE COUNCIL 2025 – 26

Bhubaneswar: Mr Sunil Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, Vedanta Ltd Jharsuguda has been elected as the Chairman of CII Odisha State Council for the year 2025-26 and Mr G Suresha, Executive Director of Odisha Asset, AM/NS India, has been elected as the Vice Chairman of CII Odisha State Council for the same term. Their names were announced at the CII Odisha State Annual Day 2025 held at Bhubaneswar on 12 March 2025. . Mr Sunil Gupta helms the strategic operations of the company’s aluminium business across its plants at Jharsuguda, Lanigarh as well as the mines business. With over 29 years of diverse experience, he has played a crucial role in steering Vedanta Aluminium towards achieving significant growth and operational efficiency, firmly establishing the company as India’s largest aluminium producer. His key areas of focus include expanding production, enhancing the availability of bauxite and coal resources, harnessing technology for added value, reducing the carbon footprint to align with Vedanta’s goal of being net zero carbon by 2050 and net water positive by 2030, and upholding the highest standards of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) in all operations. Under Mr Gupta’s steadfast leadership, it’s evident that commitment is at the core of his approach. Mr Suresha G, is a seasoned leader overseeing the Odisha Asset at AM/NS India, a critical hub of innovation and efficiency in the steel industry. With extensive experience in managing large-scale industrial operations, he drives excellence across key facilities, including a beneficiation plant, a slurry pipeline, pellet plants, a mechanized ship loading system, and a captive power plant. Under his leadership, the Odisha Asset thrives on a culture of safety, collaboration, and operational excellence, aligning with AM/NS India’s Vision 2030. His strategic and innovative approach ensures that the asset remains a cornerstone of the company’s growth and sustainability efforts.

Through his commitment to innovation and continuous improvement, Suresha G plays a pivotal role in strengthening AM/NS India’s position as a leader in the global steel industry. Coinciding with its annual meeting, CII Odisha also organized a Session on “Viksit Odisha@2036: Towards setting the Agenda for Nation Building” In his inaugural address, Mr Suvendra Behera, Chairman, CII Eastern Region Council, highlighted the cost competitiveness of electricity across states, noting that Rajasthan leads in solar energy with costs as low as ₹1.75 per unit.

He also apprised investors of Odisha’s unparalleled 30% subsidy with no upper limit, a significant incentive unmatched by neighbouring states, except for similar schemes in the southern region. Additionally, he shared the Odisha government’s initiative to provide land with boundary walls for MSMEs, a move aimed at benefiting young entrepreneurs and fostering industrial growth. Dr Pradipta Mohanty, Chairman, CII Odisha State Council 2024-25, emphasized Odisha’s robust economic growth, stating, “Odisha has been growing at an average rate of 11.5-12% per annum, with the recent GSDP estimate at 7.5%. Our aspiration is to become a $1 trillion economy, which requires strong contributions from the agriculture, manufacturing, and services sectors.” He also underscored that Odisha’s agriculture sector has outperformed the national average, reflecting its strong potential. Mr Devendra Thakar, CEO, Dhamra Port, stressed the importance of multimodal logistics and the need for Odisha to develop a state-specific logistics model that could serve as a benchmark for others. He called for greater collaboration between the state and central ministries to enhance logistics infrastructure. Speaking on Viksit Odisha@2036, he highlighted the need to build an inclusive industrial ecosystem where MSMEs, women entrepreneurs, and tribal businesses can thrive.

He also emphasized digitization and skill development as crucial elements in meeting the workforce demands of emerging industries. Mr Sunil Gupta, Vice Chairman, CII Odisha State Council 2024-25, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all participants and stakeholders for their invaluable contributions. One of the event’s key highlights was the CII Industry Carnival Awards, which recognized outstanding industries across sectors for their exemplary contributions to industrial development and economic progress in Odisha. Followed by the inaugural session, a technical discussion on “Easy Credit Flow and Strong Supply Chain: The Backbone of Industrial Growth” was held. Mr. Sashi Sekhar Mohanty, MD & CEO, Essar Minmet Ltd, moderated the session, featuring distinguished panellists includes Mr. Bibhu Mishra, Advisor, Hindalco Industries Ltd, Mr. Sudhir Jaiswal, President & CEO, Enterprise Systems Solution Pvt Ltd, Mr. Swayam Prakash Baral, MD, Swadesh Infra Marketing Pvt Ltd, Mr. Nitin Manek, Promoter, N Manek Pvt Ltd, Prof. Sasmita Samanta, Founder & Chairperson, Sustainable Outreach and Universal Leadership (SOUL) & Mr Rajesh Kumar, General Manager, Punjab National Bank. The discussion revolved around enhancing credit accessibility and strengthening supply chains, crucial factors for accelerating industrial growth. The experts at the discussion stresses for the adoption of technology and a collective effort to make financing faster and supply chains to operate efficiently.