Indian Airforce to Packaging: Mr Rajiv Dhar - Director, Indian Institute of Packaging, India,  30 June 2008

PACKAGING e-INTERVIEW

Indian Airforce to Packaging

Mr. Rajiv Dhar - Director, Indian Institute of Packaging

1.      Packaging Connections: What is your educational background? How did you get involved in the Packaging industry?

Mr Dhar: I have done my degree in mechanical engineering from PEC and then Masters in Engineering from IISc. I have also undergone ptsc at IAT, Pune along with a variety of management, printing, packaging, logistics and other engineering related courses in India and abroad.

My first stint with packaging dates back to 1978 when I was trained for the special Packaging and logistics requirements for certain expensive stores that we use in Air Force. At a young age of 27 years I had an honor and an excitement of preparing, packing and leading a specialist equipment convoy worth millions of rupees through rail and road network that we had in the country those days. And all that without any mishaps. Thereafter Packaging and Logistics became an important component of my interest and career.

2.      Packaging Connections: Your key activities at work? What is the most rewarding part of your work?

Mr Dhar: Making my teams realize the unseen dimension of Packaging. Its ability to give you a strategic advantage, which Napoleon demonstrated long time back and our soldiers still gainfully employ in the worst and difficult situations that they face.

As IIP Director getting an opportunity to interact with best Packaging Professionals in India and Abroad and learning from their experiences.

3.      Packaging Connections: What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?

Mr Dhar: Probably nil. In my work I don’t have to deal with unexpected costs. As far as headaches are concerned possibly they avoid coming anywhere near the guy having a head full of grey hair.

4. Packaging Connections: Your key achievements?

Mr Dhar: Managing relationship with Industry leaders and connecting professionals at IIP as a platform

Rejuvenating IIP organization and providing necessary inputs for motivation, guidance and control

Creating winning teams. Bringing IIP back on the path of progress, building partnership with Industry and Government and building IIP brand with the support of IIP Alumni who have build up their name and place in the Industry. .

5. Packaging Connections: what is one thing about the industry that you would change?

Mr Dhar: I would like to change the habit of the user industry to create cost cutting pressures on Packaging suppliers. I would like user industry to explore a host of cost saving components that they can find in their supply chain system. They must realize there is a limit upto which a packaging supplier can be squeezed, this is most important in the present situation when raw material prices are going up at astronomical rates.

6.      Packaging Connections: What are your views on the status of the packaging industry in India? What is the way forward??

Mr Dhar: Packaging industry derives its strength from the user industry demands and in India it is second to none. Their individual status is dependent on local and export demands which they are in a position to meet very well. The Industry knows how to swim in the competing environment on their own. However, they need Institutional backup to provide them information, assisting them with testing and consultancies, training their manpower and a host of other common subjects, and all this with no bias or preferences. Therefore Indian Institution of Packaging assumes a greater responsibility as an effective platform to work for the benefit of the Industry.

7.      Packaging Connections: Could you share with us your key plans for the future??

Mr Dhar: Organizational restructuring and strengthening and Increased activity through better resource utilization, and improved business development

While doing so I wish to have:

• A deemed to be university status for IIP.
• Close networking with Worldwide professional bodies
• And lead IIP in a position of “autonomy with a more fruitful alliance with the Government.

8. Packaging Connections: What has been your biggest challenge? How did you overcome?

Mr Dhar: To take over the charge from the outgoing Director who was considered irreplaceable immediately thereafter it followed by retirement of three pillars of IIP.

I was able to overcome with the belief that nobody is indispensable along with the trust and confidence in my team members, who delivered and delivered pretty well.

9.      Packaging Connections: Your packaging dream?

Mr Dhar: A package in which I can smell, feel and ascertain the quality of product, a package material which when littered by my fellow country men disintegrates in the soil without becoming an eyesore or degrading our environment, a pack…………………and while doing so, pack is affordable to our masses and protects and reduces the level of wastages that we presently have.

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