Velumani retires as CMD of Ennore Port The man who changed the profile of Ennore Port

After completing his six-year stint as Chairman-cum-Managing Director of India’s only corporate major port – Ennore – Mr. S. Velumani retired from the post on Nov. 30.

When Mr. Velumani took over, the cargo handling capacity of Ennore Port was 15 million tonnes per annum (during 2005-06) which has now grown to 30 million tonnes per annum.

Due to Mr. Velumani’s sustained efforts in the capacity of CMD and due to continued profit-making performance of the country’s latest major port, Ennore Port was accorded with “Mini Ratna Category-1” PSU status in 2009.

Honouring the man who changed the profile of Ennore Port in just a few years, the Tamil Chamber of Commerce jointly with Ennore Port Operators and Users organised a farewell party to Mr. Velumani recently.

In his welcome address, Mr. Chozha Naachiar Rajasekar appreciated Mr. Velumani for his untiring efforts in making Ennore Port as a well-known international port and congratulated him for getting the Mini Ratna Status for the port.

Besides the port users, Mr. Atulya Misra, Chairman, Chennai Port Trust, and Mr. Poiya Mozhi, Development Advisor – Ports & Technical Head-Ports, Ministry of Shipping, and Mr. Chozha Naachiar Rajasekar, President, TCC attended the ceremony.

Mr. Atulya Misra described Mr. Velumani as an outstanding officer and a wonderful human being. While sharing his two and a half years experience with Mr. Velumani to the gathering, Mr. Misra said that Mr. Velumani had never created enemies, confusion or conflicts during his tenure and he kept a profile which would not make others to feel offended.

He further said that during the initial period of Ennore Port, the port was found to be a nascent one and nobody knew it was a major port, subsidiary port, company or a trust and had a confusion at the beginning stage and now it has emerged as a major port and it is functioning as a major company. He congratulated Mr. Velumani for all the outstanding work he has done and wished him good health.

Mr. Poiya Mozhi recalled the days he had worked with Mr. Velumani in the 90s. He said that Mr. Velumani is a simple person without ego.

Mr. P. C. Parida, Deputy Chairman, Chennai Port, recalled his days with Mr. Velumani in the Ministry of Shipping in the year 1993-94. He said Mr. Velumani had never got excited during the work at any point of time. He had handled a new port without any annotations which was a Herculean task. He stated that Mr. Velumani had always complemented the work with Chennai Port and never had an intention of showing competition. He also said that Mr. Velumani had quoted once that Chennai Port is the mother port and the Ennore Port would be a supporting port. He said that he had learned from Mr. Velumani, sincerity, dedication and doing things perfectly. He requested Mr. Velumani to give direction and support to the shipping sector with his experience and talents in the future too.

Others who offered felicitations were: Mr. Gandhirajan, COO, L & T Ports, Kattupalli; Mr. Ennarasu Karunesan, Director, DP World; Mr. J. Krishnan, Natesa Iyer & Co.; Capt. Umesh Shedde, President, Ennore Tank Terminals P. Ltd; Mr. R. Mano, President, North Chennai District Congress Committee and Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Whole Time Director (Operations), Ennore Port.

In his response, Mr. Velumani thanked all the invitees for their kind words. He said that for the last six years the port activities were a challenging one for him and it was an opportunity which came to his way. He said that he was a man of doing things without planning in advance and details. He thanked all the dignitaries for giving him an idea of leading a happy and peaceful retired life. He assured that he would be meeting the people off and on for productive things and said that he would continue his actions which would be helpful to the shipping sector.

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