Latest news with #AmitavaMukherjee
Entrepreneur
8 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Yoga Shaping Modern Leadership: International Yoga Day 2025
Where corporate culture has often emphasized speed, scale, and multitasking, yoga brings in the missing ingredients: stillness, depth, and intention. It's no coincidence that those who lead from the front are increasingly turning inward to build resilience, emotional intelligence, and mental clarity. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Yoga isn't just about wellness anymore. It's about wisdom. In a time defined by rapid change and digital overload, the ability to remain grounded, intentional, and clear-headed is emerging as a distinct leadership advantage. Yoga is no longer the side note. It's becoming a lifestyle. What began as an ancient practice is finding new relevance in the boardrooms and daily lives of India's business leaders. Once confined to early morning routines and wellness retreats, yoga is now being embraced as a strategy for clarity, calm, and leadership resilience. Studies have shown that yoga improves prefrontal cortex activity, enhancing executive functions like judgment, planning, and self-regulation. A Harvard Health report notes that yoga and meditation increase brain volume in areas related to attention and emotional control. These findings echo Amitava Mukherjee's emphasis on intentionality and self-awareness as pillars of leadership. As the chairman and managing director of NMDC, Mukherjee sees yoga as a compass for leadership. "The principles of yoga—discipline, integrity, and self-reflection—are the guiding values that help in navigating complex challenges," he says. For Mukherjee, it isn't just about stress management or flexibility; yoga has helped him build "greater self-awareness, emotional balance, and intentionality." In a space often driven by metrics and speed, he believes mindful breathing and presence can make room for compassion and collaboration, qualities that don't always show up on a spreadsheet but shape the cultural backbone of any organization. Amitava Mukherjee, Chairman & Managing Director, NMDC A report by Stanford Lifestyle Medicine explains that yoga helps regulate the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA), both of which are stress response systems. While stress is an inevitable and necessary part of life, prolonged and chronic stress can lead to dysfunction in these systems, potential negative physiological and physical consequences, and can even contribute to the development of mental health disorders. Panckaj N Umrania, executive director at KND Steel, shares a similar perspective but brings a sense of rhythm to the role yoga plays in leadership. "Yoga has taught me stillness in motion," he reflects. Rising at 5 AM to begin each day with breathwork and mindful movement, Umrania finds that it allows him to make decisions with clarity rather than urgency. "It's how I run meetings, manage clients, teams, and handle pressure." He credits yoga for helping him slow down and sleep better; an antidote to the hyper-accelerated culture of corporate life. "Whether it's a family dinner or a boardroom presentation, I show up more present, grounded, and energised." Panckaj N Umrania, Executive Director, KND Steel Yoga is no longer perceived as some ancient teachings but a science backed grounding ritual. One of the more known practices in yoga is Anulom Vilom – an alternate nostril breathing technique that significantly lowers blood pressure, slows heart rate, and is believed to activate the parasympathetic nervous system creating mental clarity and emotional stability. This sentiment resonates with Dhruv Luthra, managing director, Luthra Group. For Dhruv, yoga isn't about twisting into complex poses. "For me, yoga has always been more about focus than flexibility," he explains. In his fast-paced professional life, a brief ten-minute yoga routine acts as a daily mental reset. "In a world that is always moving fast, it reminds me that calm can be just as powerful as speed." Dhruv's core practices—Anulom Vilom, Tadasana, and Vrikshasana—are deceptively simple but profoundly effective. They serve as practical tools to cut through mental clutter and carry physical benefits that make long meetings and unpredictable schedules more bearable. Dhruv Luthra, Managing Director, Luthra Group Dr. Vijay Kedia, director at Atul Greentech, takes a more philosophical view. "Yoga helps me stay calm, focused, and clear in my thinking," he says. "It has taught me to pause, reflect, and not rush into decisions." For Kedia, yoga is not about checking off a fitness goal; it's a code of conduct. He credits the practice with building discipline and self-control, qualities that influence how he leads and how he makes decisions. His daily go-to is Surya Namaskar, the ancient sun salutation sequence that blends posture, breath, and rhythm. "It improves flexibility, strengthens muscles, enhances blood circulation, and awakens the nervous system," he explains. But what makes it indispensable is its impact beyond the physical aspects of the human body. For him, it "sharpens the mind and brings emotional stability." Dr. Vijay Kedia, Director, Atul Greentech What ties these varied perspectives together is the way yoga moves beyond being a physical discipline. It's not treated as a box to tick for wellness, but a toolkit for living and leading with more presence and less panic. Specific practices, be it Anulom Vilom, Vrikshasana, or Surya Namaskar, have become personal rituals with strategic value. They offer grounding in a world that spins fast, and clarity in situations that demand quick but thoughtful responses. In fact, it's this shift from performance to presence, that yoga appears to be facilitating among today's leaders. Where corporate culture has often emphasized speed, scale, and multitasking, yoga brings in the missing ingredients: stillness, depth, and intention. It's no coincidence that those who lead from the front are increasingly turning inward to build resilience, emotional intelligence, and mental clarity. This shift, from outcome-driven hustle to values-driven clarity, is at the core of yoga's rise as a lifestyle in the corporate world.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Sledgehammer blast mining for iron ore to precision mining with gold, NMDC eyes big critical minerals move
Hyderabad: When India's largest iron ore miner NMDC Ltd made a strategic foray into gold mining in Australia in Nov 2023, the company's managers believed they had nothing new to learn. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now After all, they had been in the mining business for the past six decades. What they didn't anticipate is their traditional blast and grab operation was of no use in gold mining and for the first time, they were forced acquire new skills - the precision of a surgeon needed for vein mining. This new skill is also giving the Navratna PSU specialised knowledge needed for deep-seated critical minerals extraction. Today, NMDC has not only mastered the art of vein mining but is also all set to rake in its first set of profits from mining this precious yellow metal through its Australian arm Legacy Iron Ore Ltd after the initial setbacks. "The last two-three months we have turned around and been cash positive. If things continue the way they are going right now, we should be in the green this year (2025-26)," Amitava Mukherjee, chairman & managing director, NMDC Ltd, told TOI in an exclusive chat recently. Mukherjee said the diversification into gold mining has been a strategic learning curve for the company with its Mt Celia gold mine in Australia, though relatively small in scale, serving as a crucial learning ground. "It was a very conscious forward point. In the last 60 years, we have done bulk mining of iron ore, which is completely different from vein-type, deep-seated mining. When we went ahead with this project, we found we had no expertise in this type of mining," Mukherjee said. Explaining the unique challenges this type of mining poses, he said the gold deposits at Mt Celia have veins as thin as one to two meters, requiring precise extraction techniques. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This is in stark contrast to NMDC's traditional iron ore mining operations, where bulk extraction methods are employed. "In iron ore mining, you would blast from left to right throughout. But in gold mining, blasting has to be absolutely controlled. It has to be precise because all you have is just two meters. The moment you dilute it, the grade drops from 2 gm to 1 gm per tonne," Mukherjee said. "You have to spot it correctly; the size of the equipment has to be very correct. Every aspect of vein mining and deep-seated minerals mining is completely different," he added. He said the decision to start small with Mt Celia, which has reserves of around 8,000 kg (8 tonnes), was conscious. "As a matter of strategic forward thinking we started with a very small gold tenement at Mount Celia. So if we lose, we lose less money. Let's not start with a Rs 1000 crore sort of investment we thought," he explained. The Mt Celia mine currently produces gold ore with grades ranging from 1.5 to 2.1 grams per tonne, which Mukherjee described as "pretty good in gold mining." In FY25, it was able to mine around 350 kg of gold at Mt Celia and expects to produce 1,000 kg in the current financial year. Having mastered precision vein-mining, NMDC is now looking to expand its gold mining portfolio, with several tenements adjacent to Mount Celia under consideration. "We have a lot of gold tenements which are pretty good for us. However, we decided to start with Mount Celia's Blue Peter and Kangaroo Bore pits to gain experience first," Mukherjee said. Apart from Mt Celia, it also has Yilgangi, Yerilla, Patricia North and Sunrise Bore in Australia. W hile acknowledging the initial losses, he said NMDC remains confident about the long-term prospects of its gold mining operations. "I'm not really bothered about that Rs 150 crore or Rs 160 crore losses that we have made. What we've lost, we'll gain next year," Mukherjee stated, emphasising the strategic value over short-term financial results. NMDC, which acquired 50% stake in Legacy Iron Ore in 2011 and has been steadily hiking its stake, currently holds over 90% stake in the Australian company with plans to take this up to 100% over a period of time. NMDC's experience in gold mining is expected to play a crucial role in its future diversification plans, particularly in mining other strategic minerals that require similar precision mining techniques, he indicated. The company views this as a necessary evolution in its mining capabilities that will help it position itself for opportunities in various strategic critical minerals, Mukherjee said, pointing out that minerals like Lithium require the same set of expertise. Gold and lithium are among the 10 key minerals, including critical minerals, that NMDC has decided to focus on. These also include copper, coking coal, nickel, manganese, dolomite, bauxite and cobalt. "As a company we have been mandated by the board to focus on these 10 minerals, which includes our bread and butter iron ore and other critical minerals. We are very clear we are not going to do rare earth minerals," he said. This foray has also meant significant organisational changes within NMDC, including the development of new operational divisions and acquisition of specialised expertise. The company has established a dedicated team for precision mining operations, marking a departure from its traditional bulk mining focus.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
NMDC masters vein mining, now eyes critical minerals extraction
1 2 Hyderabad: When India's largest iron ore miner NMDC Ltd made a strategic foray into gold mining in Australia in Nov 2023, the company's managers believed they had nothing new to learn. After all, they had been in the mining business for the past six decades. What they didn't anticipate is their traditional blast and grab operation was of no use in gold mining and for the first time, they were forced to acquire new skills - the precision of a surgeon needed for vein mining. This new skill is also giving the Navratna PSU specialised knowledge needed for deep-seated critical minerals extraction. Today, NMDC has not only mastered the art of vein mining but is also all set to rake in its first set of profits from mining this precious yellow metal through its Australian arm Legacy Iron Ore Ltd after the initial setbacks. "The last two-three months we have turned around and been cash positive. If things continue the way they are going right now, we should be in the green this year (2025-26)," Amitava Mukherjee, chairman & managing director, NMDC Ltd, told TOI in an exclusive chat recently. Mukherjee said the diversification into gold mining has been a strategic learning curve for the company with its Mt Celia gold mine in Australia, though relatively small in scale, serving as a crucial learning ground. "It was a very conscious forward point. In the last 60 years, we have done bulk mining of iron ore, which is completely different from vein-type, deep-seated mining. When we went ahead with this project, we found we had no expertise in this type of mining," Mukherjee said. Explaining the unique challenges this type of mining poses, he said the gold deposits at Mt Celia have veins as thin as one to two metres, requiring precise extraction techniques. This is in stark contrast to NMDC's traditional iron ore mining operations, where bulk extraction methods are employed. "In iron ore mining, you would blast from left to right throughout. But in gold mining, blasting has to be absolutely controlled. It has to be precise because all you have is just two metres. The moment you dilute it, the grade drops from 2 gm to 1 gm per tonne," Mukherjee said. "You have to spot it correctly; the size of the equipment has to be very correct. Every aspect of vein mining and deep-seated minerals mining is completely different," he added. He said the decision to start small with Mt Celia, which has reserves of around 8,000 kg (8 tonnes), was conscious. "As a matter of strategic forward thinking we started with a very small gold tenement at Mount Celia. So if we lose, we lose less money. Let's not start with a Rs 1,000 crore sort of investment we thought," he explained. The Mt Celia mine currently produces gold ore with grades ranging from 1.5 to 2.1 grams per tonne, which Mukherjee described as "pretty good in gold mining." In FY25, it was able to mine around 350 kg of gold at Mt Celia and expects to produce 1,000 kg in the current financial year. Having mastered precision vein-mining, NMDC is now looking to expand its gold mining portfolio, with several tenements adjacent to Mt Celia under consideration. "We have a lot of gold tenements which are pretty good for us. However, we decided to start with Mount Celia's Blue Peter and Kangaroo Bore pits to gain experience first," Mukherjee said. Apart from Mt Celia, it also has Yilgangi, Yerilla, Patricia North and Sunrise Bore in Australia. W hile acknowledging the initial losses, he said NMDC remains confident about the long-term prospects of its gold mining operations. "I'm not really bothered about that Rs 150 crore or Rs 160 crore losses that we have made. What we've lost, we'll gain next year," Mukherjee stated, emphasising the strategic value over short-term financial results. NMDC, which acquired 50% stake in Legacy Iron Ore in 2011 and has been steadily hiking its stake, currently holds over 90% stake in the Australian company with plans to take this up to 100% over a period of time. NMDC's experience in gold mining is expected to play a crucial role in its future diversification plans, particularly in mining other strategic minerals that require similar precision mining techniques, he indicated. The company views this as a necessary evolution in its mining capabilities that will help it position itself for opportunities in various strategic critical minerals, Mukherjee said, pointing out that minerals like Lithium require the same set of expertise. Gold and lithium are among the 10 key minerals, including critical minerals, that NMDC has decided to focus on. These also include copper, coking coal, nickel, manganese, dolomite, bauxite and cobalt. "As a company we have been mandated by the board to focus on these 10 minerals, which includes our bread and butter iron ore and other critical minerals. We are very clear we are not going to do rare earth minerals," he said. This foray has also meant significant organisational changes within NMDC, including the development of new operational divisions and acquisition of specialised expertise. The company has established a dedicated team for precision mining operations, marking a departure from its traditional bulk mining focus.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
From sledgehammer blast mining for iron ore to precision mining with gold, NMDC eyes big critical minerals move
HYDERABAD: When India's largest iron ore miner, NMDC Ltd, made a strategic foray into gold mining in Australia in November 2023, the company's managers believed they had nothing new to learn. After all, they were in the mining business for the past six decades. What they didn't anticipate was that their traditional blast and grab operation was of no use in gold mining, and for the first time, they were forced to acquire new skills—the precision of a surgeon needed for vein mining. This new skill is also giving the Navratna PSU specialised knowledge needed for deep-seated critical minerals extraction. Today, NMDC has not only mastered the art of vein mining but is also all set to rake in its first set of profits from mining this precious yellow metal through its Australian arm, Legacy Iron Ore Ltd, after the initial setbacks. 'The last two-three months we turned around and were cash positive. If things continue the way they are going right now, we should be in the green this year (2025-26),' Amitava Mukherjee, chairman & managing director, NMDC Ltd, told TOI in an exclusive chat recently. Mukherjee said the diversification into gold mining has been a strategic learning curve for the company, with its Mt Celia gold mine in Australia, though relatively small in scale, serving as a crucial learning ground. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo "It was a very conscious forward point. In the last 60 years, we did bulk mining of iron ore, which is completely different from vein-type, deep-seated mining. When we went ahead with this project, we found we had no expertise in this type of mining," Mukherjee said. Explaining the unique challenges this type of mining poses, he said the gold deposits at Mt Celia have veins as thin as one to two meters, requiring precise extraction techniques. This is in stark contrast to NMDC's traditional iron ore mining operations, where bulk extraction methods are employed. "In iron ore mining, you would blast from left to right throughout. But in gold mining, blasting has to be absolutely controlled. It has to be precise because all you have is just two meters. The moment you dilute it, the grade drops from 2 gm to 1 gm per tonne," Mukherjee said. 'You have to spot it correctly; the size of the equipment has to be very correct. Every aspect of vein mining and deep-seated minerals mining is completely different,' he added. He said the decision to start small with Mt Celia, which has reserves of around 8,000 tonnes, was conscious. 'As a matter of strategic forward thinking, we started with a very small gold tenement at Mount Celia. So if we lose, we lose less money. Let's not start with a Rs 1000 crore sort of investment, we thought,' he explained. The Mt Celia mine currently produces gold ore with grades ranging from 1.5 to 2.1 grams per tonne, which Mukherjee described as "pretty good in gold mining. " Having mastered precision vein-mining, NMDC is now looking to expand its gold mining portfolio, with several tenements adjacent to Mount Celia under consideration. "We have a lot of gold tenements which are pretty good for us. However, we decided to start with Mount Celia's Blue Peter and Kangaroo Bore pits to gain experience first," Mukherjee said. Apart from Mt Celia, it also has Yilgangi, Yerilla, Patricia North, and Sunrise Bore in Australia. While acknowledging the initial losses, he said NMDC remains confident about the long-term prospects of its gold mining operations. "I'm not really bothered about that Rs 150 crore or Rs 160 crore losses that we made. What we lost, we'll gain next year," Mukherjee stated, emphasising the strategic value over short-term financial results. NMDC, which acquired a 50% stake in Legacy Iron Ore in 2011 and has been steadily hiking its stake, currently holds over 92.84% stake in the Australian company with plans to take this up to 100% over a period of time. NMDC's experience in gold mining is expected to play a crucial role in its future diversification plans, particularly in mining other strategic minerals that require similar precision mining techniques, he indicated. The company views this as a necessary evolution in its mining capabilities that will help it position itself for opportunities in various strategic critical minerals, Mukherjee said, pointing out that minerals like lithium require the same set of expertise. Gold and lithium are among the 10 critical minerals that NMDC has decided to focus on. These also include copper, coking coal, nickel, manganese, dolomite, bauxite, and cobalt. 'As a company, we have been mandated by the board to focus on these 10 minerals, which includes our bread and butter iron ore and other critical minerals. We are very clear we are not going to do rare earth minerals,' he said. This foray has also meant the setting up of new operational divisions and acquisition of specialised expertise in NMDC. The company has established a dedicated team for precision mining operations, marking a departure from its traditional bulk mining focus. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Mint
28-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
NMDC share price falls 3% after Q4 results. Should you buy, sell, or hold?
NMDC share price in focus: Continuing their bearish trend for the second consecutive trading session, shares of NMDC, India's largest iron ore producer, fell another 3% in intraday trade on Wednesday, May 28, to ₹ 70.65 apiece, as investor sentiment turned negative following the release of the company's March quarter results. The company, post market hours on Tuesday, reported a 5% rise in consolidated net profit to ₹ 1,483 crore for the March quarter, driven by higher iron ore and pellet sales revenue. In the same period of the previous fiscal year, the company had posted a net profit of ₹ 1,415 crore. NMDC's total income rose by around 9 per cent to ₹ 7,497.17 crore in the last quarter of FY25 from ₹ 6,908.37 crore in Q4 FY24. Iron ore sales were 6,350.49 crore while pellet along with other minerals contributed ₹ 662.07 crore. For the full FY25 fiscal, the net profit increased by over 17 per cent to ₹ 6,538.82 crore from ₹ 5,571.25 crore in FY24. Total income rose to ₹ 25,498.84 crore from ₹ 22,678.73 crore in the corresponding fiscal. NMDC's iron ore prices averaged at ₹ 4,206, lower than the average of ₹ 4,299 a year earlier, according to data from JM Financial Institutional Securities. The company had announced a price cut in January, according to commodities consultancy BigMint. JSW Steel, which primarily procures iron ore from NMDC, said earlier this month that a further drop in iron ore prices is expected in the first quarter of the ongoing fiscal year. Revenue from its iron ore vertical fell nearly 2% during the quarter. The Board of Directors of the Company has proposed a final dividend of ₹ 1 per share subject to approval of shareholders. In addition, the first interim dividend of Rs. 2.30 per equity share for FY 2024-25 has been paid. Commenting on the financial performance Amitava Mukherjee, Chairman and Managing Director, NMDC, stated, 'Our focus has always been on consistent, year-on-year progress to reach the final milestone of 100 MTPA in the next five years. What matters is that we stay on track and keep building on our momentum. The initiatives we've undertaken in recent years are now translating into tangible results, and that gives us confidence in the direction we're headed.' In the ongoing quarter, the focus remains on innovation, sustainability, and value creation to remain on track to achieve long-term targets, he said. As per the company, its quarterly iron ore production was at 13.31 million tonne (MT) and sales at 12.67 MT. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
