Former chairman of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Colonel Satya Pal Wahi (Retd) passed away at the age of 88 on Monday morning at his residence in Gurgaon.
According to an official release, Col Satya Pal Wahi was an Indian corporate executive, army personnel, technocrat, writer and a former chairman of public sector enterprises ONGC and Cement Corporation of India (CCI). He was a former Indian Army Colonel at the Corps of EME.
Born in the small village of Khushab near lahore of the British India, he graduated in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering from Banaras Hindu University. Subsequently, he joined the Indian Military Academy in Dehr-
adun, and after completing his training in 1950, served at the Corps of EME of the Indian Army, retiring from military service holding the rank of a colonel. Appointed as the chairman of ONGC in 1981, his tenure at ONGC coincided with the development of Bombay High offshore oilfields and he is credited with contributions in raising India’s oil output from 9 million tonnes to 32 million tonnes per annum. His efforts are also credited for the modernisation of the corporation with computerisation, modern office facilities and the establishment of a training center for the organisation.
Dehradun based veteran journalist Raj Kanwar said that Wahi’s life had been replete of achievements and awards. Only about two years ago, he had received a standing ovation when Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented him with the prestigious URJA Award for his outstanding contribution to the Indian oil and gas industry. In his long and distinguished career, he had been the recipient of numerous awards including the Padma Bhushan in 1988. He was instrumental in doubling production from Bombay High during his tenure with ONGC.
long before the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) became a buzz word, Wahi had had the foresight to take up substantial CSR projects in the regions where ONGC then operated. In the early part of his tenure, ONGC with its headquarters in Dehradun had also funded drilling of tube wells in Karanpur and few other localities in town. It also sponsored a couple of projects near Vikasnagar. The spacious auditorium of St. Joseph’s Academy was also constructed due to ONGC’s benevolence under Col Wahi.
His wife Shobhana was a great help too. It was at her initiative that a women’s polytechnic was set up in Dehradun on June 27, 1987. Now named as BS Negi Mahila Pravidhik Prashikshan Sansthan, the institute is registered as a society and independently managed.
It offers a variety of courses in interior design and decoration, textile design, fashion design, modern office management and secretarial practice, computer applications and garment technology among others.
His mortal remains will be cremated at Dayanand Muktidham Cremation Ground, lodhi Road, Delhi at 2 pm on February 14.