"Please come to Tower 3," says the helpful voice on the phone once the person realises we are lost at the foot of the six gleaming towers housing Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) that stand out in Balanagar, a decrepit industrial zone in Hyderabad. In Tower 3, we are ushered into a large conference room with a table that can seat 17 (the boss’s chair at the head has the regulation white towel on its armrest) and two massive TV screens hooked up to Megha’s projects. Zoji-la tunnel, anyone? Or a Mongolia refinery in real-time?
With 4,000 people working out of this office, it is a beehive of activity. Venkatakrishna Reddy Puritipati, 53-better known as P.V. Krishna Reddy-walks in briskly. He is a lithe 5’8” or so and looks very fit. "I work out for at least an hour every morning. There is no stress in my life," says the MD of the closely-held company that has been in the news ever since it was revealed as the second-biggest buyer of electoral bonds (worth ₹ 966 crore) between 2019 and 2023. A little over 60% of those bonds were encashed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in power at the Centre, followed by the Telangana-based Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) (See chart Political Bonds). According to a CRISIL report, the company is India's second-largest EPC player by revenue and the largest in irrigation and drinking water works. As an EPC or engineering, procurement, and construction company, MEIL also does projects in hydrocarbons, roads, power, buildings, railways, electric vehicles, and city gas distribution.
"People would like to interpret our growth in many ways. In India, many companies have won large projects, and I am just one of them”
This story is from the May 12, 2024 edition of Business Today India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 12, 2024 edition of Business Today India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
"Moving to cloud helped us grow❞
What was the problem you were grappling with?
She's Got Time
MORE WOMEN ARE BECOMING WATCH CONNOISSEURS, SEEKING OUT BOTH JEWELLED AND TECHNICAL WATCHES FOR THEIR STYLE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP
RISING STAR
PARUL GULATI IS a name that's been steadily gaining prominence in the Indian entertainment industry after she appeared on season 2 of Shark Tank in 2023. She has become a multifaceted personality who effortlessly transitions between acting and entrepreneurship.
Building on a Legacy
WHEN ZAHABIYA KHORAKIWALA stepped into her role as Managing Director of Wockhardt Hospitals over a decade ago, she confronted formidable challenges that have since turned into achievements.
LEADER IN INNOVATION
AS FEDEX'S PRESIDENT (Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Africa), Kami Viswanathan has a lot on her plate.
WAITING IN THE WINGS
Here are those who missed out as they have not yet completed a year in office; they'll be strong contenders in 2025
A DECENT PROPOSAL
IN TODAY'S WORLD OF TRYING TO CREATE AN EQUITABLE SPACE, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR HOUSEHOLDS. WOMEN ARE ENCOURAGED TO HAVE THEIR OWN SAVINGS POOL AND INVESTMENT ROUTINE. GIVEN THIS, HOW SHOULD FUTURE BRIDES APPROACH FINANCIAL PLANNING?
Women and the STEM Bias
EMPOWERING WOMEN IN STEM WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT INDIVIDUALS, BUT ALSO STRENGTHEN THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY, DRIVING INNOVATION AND PROGRESS.
ROCKET WOMEN
WOMEN IN INDIA ARE NOT ONLY VENTURING INTO SPACE BUT ARE ALSO STARTING TO SPEARHEAD THE COUNTRY'S EFFORTS IN THE GLOBAL SPACE RACE.
ONE STEP FORWARD
THE NUMBER OF WOMEN INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS IS GROWING STEADILY, BUT IT'S A LONG WAY FROM GENDER PARITY. MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO BREAK THE GLASS CEILING IN BOARDROOMS.