Archive · 10 Aug 2026
Jatinder Mehra's Three Decades Rebuilding SAIL's Workforce and Steel Legacy
Jatinder Mehra was a leader in India's steel industry for a very long time.
He worked at a big steel plant in Rourkela, a town in Odisha, for about 24 years.
In total, he worked for a company called SAIL for 30 years.
SAIL is India's government-owned steel company, created on January 24, 1973, to bring many steel plants under one roof.
When he started, workers' groups called unions were very powerful and often went on strike.
Mehra had to stay firm while also keeping workers safe.
One time, a fire started on the conveyor belt that carried coke for making iron.
Instead of giving up, he moved the material by train, which saved the plant from closing.
He believed a good leader helps their team get stronger and more independent.
In 1997, he moved to a private company called Essar.
His story is told in a book called 'Steel Man: The Jatinder Mehra Legacy.'
Jatinder Mehra, former Executive Director of SAIL, served around 24 years at Rourkela Steel Plant and 30 years with SAIL before joining Essar in 1997.
SAIL was incorporated on January 24, 1973, with an authorised capital of Rs 2,000 crore to manage five integrated steel plants and other steel units.
Mehra recalled that 1970s labour unions were powerful and sometimes pressured management to act outside the law or accepted protocols, requiring him to stand firm.
In the early 1970s, a fire on the coke conveyor belt at Rourkela led Mehra to reroute material via rail, averting plant closure and transforming their transportation system.
His leadership philosophy held that a manager's role is to elevate the performance of those around them so teams become self-sufficient and ready for bigger challenges.
- Who
- Jatinder Mehra, former Executive Director of SAIL who later joined Essar as managing director and vice chairman of Metals and Minerals.
- What
- A biography of how Mehra rebuilt SAIL's workforce, handled union pressure, and shaped India's public sector steel leadership.
- When
- The 1970s through 1997, when Mehra joined Essar; SAIL was incorporated on January 24, 1973.
- Where
- Rourkela in Odisha, with later postings in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, all on the east coast of India.
- Why
- To bring India's steel industry under a cohesive framework and build management systems that prevented problems rather than just solving them.
- Subject
- Jatinder Mehra, former Executive Director of SAIL
- Employer at formation
- Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), incorporated January 24, 1973
- Authorised capital
- Rs 2,000 crore
- Plants managed by SAIL
- Bhilai, Bokaro, Durgapur, Rourkela, Burnpur, Alloy Steel Plant, Salem Steel Plant
- Tenure
- 30 years at SAIL; about 24 years at Rourkela
- Move to private sector
- Joined Essar in 1997 as managing director and vice chairman of Metals and Minerals
- Source book
- Steel Man: The Jatinder Mehra Legacy by Alison Norrington, Penguin Enterprise