K.J. Patel, the newly appointed Managing Director of IFFCO, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Board for entrusting him with this significant responsibility. “I thank the Board for appointing me. I am blessed to have received this opportunity through the kar kamal (noble hands) of Chairman Shri Dileep Sanghani. This post may be high, but the expectations are even higher, I am fully aware of the responsibility and will give my best,” he said.
Reflecting on the legacy of his predecessor, Dr. U.S. Awasthi, Patel recalled the remarkable transformation
Patel lauded Dr. Awasthi for diversifying IFFCO’s operations beyond fertilisers. “Under his visionary leadership, IFFCO expanded into multiple areas, establishing 9 subsidiaries and forming 5 international joint ventures,” he noted.
He shared a personal memory that reflected Dr. Awasthi’s fearless attitude towards challenges. “I found on many occasions that he was never scared of any challenge. I still remember the 2005 Paradeep acquisition. Frankly, I was scared at the time, but he wasn’t,” Patel recalled.
Patel highlighted the employee-friendly culture fostered under Dr. Awasthi, citing the example of JIFCO. “His deep commitment to treating IFFCO not just as an organisation but as a family has left a deep impression on me,” he said.
In an emotional moment, Patel recalled a conversation from just four days ago. “Saheb told me he had cleared all stuff from the shelf. I became emotional and told him, ‘Please do not abandon us.’ That understanding of what it means to belong to a family, I learnt it from him,” he concluded.