This story is from my experience while I was working at the Auriya Gas Power Project (AuGPP) of NTPC. I remember this story vividly; like it happened yesterday.

When this incident took place I was posted in the HR (erstwhile known as P&A) department and was looking after Administration. During those early formative years, the project was my learning ground. Being at the initial stage i.e construction, the project was a hub of activities. I was simultaneously involved in many complex and hectic activities, dealing with administration, security related issues, liaising with State Government Authorities and interaction with local people, etc.

More often we hear engineering and construction feats that technical staff at project sites achieve under extreme and challenging conditions. Acquiring land required for the project, and managing the expectations and aspirations of local people and land oustees is a challenge that is faced by and left to HR department (erstwhile P&A dept. of the hey days). Heroic stories of personal risk-taking beyond the call of duty from the early phases of project life are neither popular nor shared widely. Here is a story that I was involved first hand as a young executive in NTPC, which left a lasting impression on me.

In NTPC, a large number of measures were introduced right from the inception to ensure the welfare and growth of not only employees but also their family members. Such efforts included energizing Ladies Welfare Organizations, sports competitions for children of employees, coaching facilities for competitive exams for children besides making available good educational facilities at projects. We innovated substantially, with involvement of employees, their families and the HR executives in the field and based on the feedback and appraisals took a lot of initiatives to update the services that were being provided.

Sometimes in life, you hear from someone a story from his childhood without him knowing the kind of role you played in the making of the story.

During a recent visit to a site, almost 20 years after the glorious project days, while passing around the beautiful fountain in front of the township gate of NTPC's Talcher Kaniha Project in Odisha, the driver of the car narrated his childhood memory of an incident. The incident has become a story of the past. People involved in that fateful incident are now faithful old employees of the company. Although many people might have forgotten the story, there are others like our driver, whose words triggered open a floodgate of vivid memories. We smiled at each other while showing our Identity (ID) cards to the security guards for entry to the township on our way to the Guest House. I closed my eyes and the old incident replayed like a movie in front of me.