The Indian Coastal Conference (ICC) recently felicitated Mr. Sudhir Rangnekar, ex-Chairman, ICC and former Director of SCI for his devoted services to ICC and dedicated contribution to the development of coastal shipping.

In a speech read out on his behalf, Mr. A.K. Mohapatra, Secretary, Union Ministry of Shipping said, “Sudhir Rangnekar is one of the most knowledgeable, professional and intellectual people I have known. Not only that, he is also a good human being. Having rendered commendable service to the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) and the maritime sector as a whole, I am sure he will succeed wherever he goes.”

The event witnessed an impressive attendance of who’s who of the industry such as Mr. D.T. Joseph, Former Secretary, Union Ministry of Shipping, Mr. S.Hajara, CMD, SCI, Ms. Kiran Dhingra, DG, Shipping, Dr. A.K. Chanda, Chairman, Kolkata Port Trust, Mr. S.K. Shahi, CMD, SKS Logistics, Capt. Rustom Dastoor, CEO, DP World Nhava Sheva, Ms. Neera Saggi, ex-Deputy Chairperson, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Mr. Ajoy Chatterjee, Chief Surveyor to GOI and Additional DG, Shipping, Capt. M.M. Saggi, Nautical Advisor to the GOI, Mr. M.P. Patwardhan of Chougule Shipping, Mr. L.D. Parekh of the Parekh Group, besides several other luminaries.

Mr. Hajara described Mr. Rangnekar as one of the most acclaimed, well known, respected persons in the shipping industry, and emphasized that he had been an asset to SCI for more than three decades as well as to the maritime sector. Mr. Hajara praised his contributions as Chairman of the IPBCC liner conference and ICC, as also as President of AMTOI. Mr. Hajara expressed his confidence that Mr. Rangnekar would continue to serve the maritime sector for a long time to come.

Mr. G.S. Bhalla, the new Chairman of ICC, in his address, gave Mr. Rangnekar for credit for raising the status of ICC with the government and other relevant organizations.

In his an emotional address Mr. Rangnekar said that India has a tremendous resource to its manpower, which needs to be properly trained to give the right opportunities to its people. “We are a country of 1.1 billion people, yet we have a shortage of manpower be it in seafarers, officers, airline pilots, marine pilots, etc. So it is imperative that youngsters are given the right training. They can then take on the world.” In a word of wisdom to the government, he called upon the powers to recognize the wealth of knowledge, expertise and experience that existed in public sector organizations.