Pandey, who is currently serving as the Additional Chief Secretary in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Textiles Department of the West Bengal government, will lead the public sector undertaking for a five-year term or until he reaches the age of superannuation, whichever occurs earlier.

His transition to the helm of Damodar Valley Corporation is highly significant given the organization’s critical role in managing power generation and infrastructure across Jharkhand and West Bengal. This leadership transition follows the retirement of the previous permanent DVC Chairman, S. Suresh Kumar, on May 31. Following his exit, NTPC Chairman and Managing Director Gurdeep Singh had assumed additional charge of the top post for a two-month interim period, which is scheduled to conclude on July 31, paving the way for Pandey to take over his new responsibilities shortly.

The event commenced with a warm welcome address by Dr. D.V. Rajan, Additional Secretary, DVC, who formally greeted the dignitaries and the gathering.

In his address to the employees and guests, Chairman Shri Gurdeep Singh outlined a futuristic vision for the Corporation, targeting a total power generation capacity of 7.6 GW by the year 2032. This ambitious expansion blueprint will heavily focus on scaling up DVC’s capabilities across thermal, hydro, and non-conventional floating solar energy sectors. Aligning the celebrations with social responsibility, the DVC Women’s Association extended support to the community by making meaningful donations to various NGOs and old-age homes. The memorable evening concluded on a high note with a captivating cultural performance by legendary singer Usha Uthup and her troupe.

Shri Chaitanya Prakash brings a wealth of specialized expertise and extensive experience in power sector operations to his new appointment. Throughout his distinguished career at Damodar Valley Corporation, one of India’s oldest and largest multi-purpose river valley projects, he has successfully managed significant installed generation capacities. His proven track record in large-scale utility management is expected to drive operational excellence at NLC India Limited.

The Conference brought together eminent experts, industry leaders, academicians, engineers, researchers and practitioners from across the nation and beyond to deliberate on the future of thermal power generation in an increasingly sustainable energy landscape.

The distinguished gathering was graced by several stalwarts of the power sector, including Shri Praveen Gupta, Member (Thermal), Central Electricity Authority ; Shri S. Suresh Kumar, IAS, Chairman, DVC; Shri Ujjwal Kanti Bhattacharya, MD, STEAG Energy Services(India) Pvt. Ltd. .; Shri Ravindra Kumar, Director (Operations), NTPC Ltd.; Shri Subrata Mandal, Director (O&M), The West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd.; Shri Brajesh Kumar Singh, MD (Generation),CESC , among many other eminent dignitaries.

The scheme provides benefits to regular employees, dependents, retirees, spouses, FTEs, and casual or supply workers through cashless or discounted medicine purchases. It is also expected to lower DVC’s medical expenditure through standardised discounts on medicines and consumables. Overall, the initiative strengthens welfare measures, improves convenience, and enhances transparency and efficiency in healthcare support across the organisation.