Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a public sector aerospace and defence organisation, has announced the appointment of Atasi Baran Pradhan as Director (Human Resources) on July 19, 2023. 

Pradhan joined HAL in 2005 and was serving as Special Duty Officer at the Corporate Office as well as General Manager (HR) at the Bengaluru Complex.

In his new role, Pradhan brings over 35 years of core expertise in HR functions covering both in public and private sectors. Throughout his career, he was engaged with industries in engineering, metallurgy, aerospace, and defence. 

An official statement released by HAL on Wednesday stated, “Pradhan has wide exposure to HR functions, including CSR, wage negotiation and settlements, statutory compliance, recruitment and career development, skill development and training, and legal affairs. He is a postgraduate in personnel management and labour welfare and holds a degree in law.”

Throughout his career, Pradhan has been a driving force in implementing IT-enabled HR systems. His remarkable achievements include securing numerous wage agreements through collective bargaining, optimising work efficiency with strategies like piece-rate wages and reduced standard man hours and overtime. He also introduced TPM concepts such as Kaizen and Fugai. Additionally, he successfully streamlined the contract labour system and played a pivotal role in outsourcing non-core HR activities.

His extensive experience covers various HR functions, encompassing industrial relations, corporate social responsibility (CSR), wage negotiation, statutory compliance, HR policy formulation, manpower planning, recruitment, career development, skill development, training, performance management, facilities management, and legal affairs.

Recently, HAL and Safran, a manufacturer of rocket engines and aircraft, unveiled their joint venture firm in Bengaluru. The primary focus of this collaboration will be the development of a new powerplant for the proposed 13t Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH) and its Deck Based Multi-Role Helicopter (DBMRH) naval version, as stated by both companies.