Source: Google

By, Sayak Karmakar

WZ Khan, MD of Engineering Udyog Pvt Ltd

“Previously, there were three basic needs of people- Food, Water, and shelter. But today, there is an addition to it- electricity. Without electricity, the other three needs are useless”, says Engineer WZ Khan(An Engineers Mettle), MD Engineering Udyog PvtLtd.

When we talk about electrical transformers, there is one name that is famous throughout India- ER WZ Khan(An Engineers Mettle). Mr. Khan, an electrical engineer by profession and a dynamic and daredevil entrepreneur, has helped boosted Odisha’s economy significantly, with Udyog Pvt Ltd.

His transformers are famous throughout the country for his great quality and affordable cost.

Interview Times brings an exclusive interview with Mr. Khan(An Engineers Mettle) about his insights on the degradation in the quality of engineers, his work experience in Udyog, and about his future plans. 

Q- When did the passion for engineering strike you?

Answer- To be honest, most people do not know what they exactly want to be in the future. Their ambitions change with time. However, in my case, it was my maternal uncle who injected the passion of engineering into my head.

He(An Engineers Mettle) is an engineer and a student of Burla engineering college. He used to do a lot of experimental stuff in his own house, like repairing a bulb. These experiments motivated me to pursue a career in engineering.

Q- How much support did you get from your family? 

Answer- My parents have always been my backbone. My family comes from a business background. Therefore, they wanted me to join a professional course from where I(An Engineers Mettle) could get a lot of benefits. They always encouraged me to become an entrepreneur so that I can provide service to other people who are in need.

Q- A few decades back, engineering was considered to be a royal subject. However, in today’s scenario, especially in India, we see a lot of degradation of engineers. Why do you think this happened?

Answer– The degradation in the quality of engineers is directly related to the confidence level, or what I say is the lack of confidence in them. It is like a chain reaction.

The lack of confidence among young engineers is due to the orthodox mentality of their parents. For Indian parents, engineering is not a course but a gateway to a secured job.

A typical Indian parent will want his kid to join a good engineering college so that they get a guaranteed job in a good company with a handsome salary. With this, the child can lead a happy life and can also take care of this family.  

However, Indian parents never influence their children on the importance of working for the country. They never encourage their child to start their own company.

This is the reason we see non-technical people getting tenders of engineering contracts, and the engineers are happy working under them. The whole concept of a fixed salary is the leading cause of the degradation of engineers in India today.

“Our Country has an exceptional talent of not recognizing local talent.”

Q- Can the government take any step to improve this degrading condition?

Answer– The government has already given many benefits to the engineers. Engineers get free electricity licenses and great rebates if they apply for tenders. However, the problem is there are very few people to grab hold of these opportunities. 

Q- Tell us about your experience with Udyog Engineering Pvt Ltd.

Answer– It is a long story. I am an electrical engineer by profession. However, when I passed out of college, there were no jobs for us in Odisha.

I and a few of my batch mates went to ask for the job to the Chief Minister of Odisha at that time- Mr. Biju Pattnaik. He refused to give us any job.

He said, “why will you work for others, work for yourself and the state. I will help you as much as I can.”

This statement of his encouraged me to do something on my own. During that time, there came an article in a magazine about the power loss by transformers.

While in other countries, the average power loss was 5 to 6 percent, in India, it was 45 percent. There, I decided to do something for my country.

With the help of the government and electrical department, I started researching on transformers and making the best one. There began the story of Udyog.

Today, I am a proud entrepreneur of 15 engineers and 100 employees. Our transformers are not only famous in the state but also are very well accepted at the pan-India level. 

Q- Any Set Off plans for Udyog?

Answer– Yes, but we cannot call it a plan as we are already in the process of implementation. All the transformers in India run on oil. The usage of oil has many disadvantages.

First, they are very limited nowadays. Second, they are hazardous as they cause pollution. The use of oil also leads to a short circuit, which can precipitate severe casualty.

So, with the due permission of the government, we have already started making low-cost battery-operated transformers that do not run on fuel. We are the first in the state to do so.

Q- What are your hobbies to beat the stress in life?

Answer– I like to play cricket and love to swim as well.

Q- How do you juggle personal and professional lives?

Answer– In business, there is nothing called personal life. We are service providers and have an active 24×7 response for our customers. So, we have to live with this fact. 

Q- Any advice for young engineers?

Answer– Try to start something on your own. Initially, learn a few things from an organization, but after gaining a bit of experience, start giving service to mankind and to the country.

It may be at a very low level but has a great impact on the development of your career and the economy of the country in a positive way.