The Mining Engineering Association of India has honoured Akhilesh Joshi, the Chief Executive Officer of Hindustan Zinc, with MEAI – Adheraj Baldota Memorial Gold Medal Award 2012. This “Mining Engineer of the Year” award was presented to Mr. Akhilesh Joshi in the Annual General Meeting of the Mining Engineering Association of India’s held recently in Hyderabad.

The award was presented by Mr. S.K.Saragni, President of MEAI in an award ceremony attended my eminent industry and academicians who specialize in mining and metallurgy profession.

This year itself, the Indian Mining Engineering Journal honoured Akhilesh Joshi with the “Life Time Achievement Award”.

His efforts and all the hard work in making Hindustan Zinc as the world largest integrated zinc producing company through systematic exploration, production increase and meeting highest standards of mine safety were rewarded with the National Mineral Award by the Government of India in 2006.

With more than 35 years of extensive experience in mining industry, Akhilesh Joshi had joined Hindustan Zinc in 1976 as young engineer from Udaipur. He has been the most influential strategist in expanding the mining operation at Hindustan Zinc.

Spanning his career of early days, he has the distinction of improving the mine & mill capacities, metal recovery improvement, and bringing transparency in working culture.

He spent his early days, from 1976 to 1993, at Zawar mines and then moved to Rajpura Dariba mine in 1994. In the year 1997 Mr. Joshi took the charge as Chief of Mining Operations at Rampura Agucha Mine. In April 2002, as part of government’s decision to disinvest PSUs, Sterlite Industries (I) Ltd. took over controlling stake in Hindustan Zinc.

In the year 2003 Joshi was given the responsibility as Unit Head of Rampura Agucha Mine, the world’s largest zinc producing mine today.

Giving highest regard to environment, safety and occupational health of employees,  Joshi laid the action plan that focused on systematic exploration and optimum operational excellence that would ultimately increase the mine production capacity substantially. The expansion of Rampura Agucha Mine started instantly. Soon he was given the responsibility to develop all HZL mines, which included six underground mines.

This was the beginning of expansions of mine production in Hindustan Zinc. Now, both, brown field and green field exploration were driven from the front. The mines de-bottlenecking projects work had started to give boost to the production levels. His strategies and techniques were also proving useful to mines of group companies like Konkola Copper Mines in Zambia, and Sesa iron ore mine in Goa.

In 2008, Joshi took the responsibility of Chief Operating Officer at Hindustan Zinc and also as Whole-time Director of the company. During his tenure only, Hindustan Zinc explored new deposit at Kayar in Ajmer and Sindesar Khurd mine at Rajpura Dariba. Both these mine are now being developed and in expansion mode.

The “Blast Design Theory and Practice” authored by Akhilesh Joshi, Dr. P.K. Rajmeny and Dr. Sushil Bhandari even today is referred by young mining engineers as a bible in mining studies. The book is an amalgamation of varied practical experiences in the mining sector.

It was January 21, 2012 Akhilesh Joshi was entrusted with the responsibility to Head the company as the Chief Executive Officer and Whole-time Director of Hindustan Zinc.

Hindustan Zinc is the world’s largest producer of Zinc and governs 85% of growing Zinc market in India. The company is also the largest producer of lead and governs 60% of lead market in India. Besides, company is currently producing 400 tonnes of silver, the largest in India, and aims to produce 500 tonnes by end of the current financial year.