From Engineer to Administrator: The Journey of L. R. Thapar on Indian Railways
This captivating memoir chronicles the remarkable career of L. R. Thapar, an engineer who rose through the ranks to become a distinguished administrator, bringing significant improvements to Train Operations on the Indian Railways. Through sheer hard work, perseverance, and unwavering loyalty to the organization and its people, Thapar left an indelible mark on the system.
Spanning 56 years, Thapar’s illustrious career is vividly recounted, highlighting his ability to tackle delicate and risky issues under challenging conditions. His sterling contributions to Traffic planning were pivotal, identifying neglected areas that were critical to the development of the Railways as a system serving the people, trade, and commerce of India.
Two successive Ministers for Railways, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav, recognized Thapar's outstanding achievements, particularly his work in accident relief and achieving a record freight loading of 600 million tonnes in the Financial Year 2004-2005.
Originating from a middle-class family in Jalandhar, Punjab, Thapar's academic brilliance was evident early on as a National Scholarship holder. He graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, in 1966. His quest for knowledge continued throughout his career, earning an LL.B. from Delhi University in 1994, an MBA in Marketing from IGNOU in 2000, and a Ph.D. in Marketing Management from Aligarh Muslim University in 2006, shortly after retiring as Additional Member (Traffic... See more
From Engineer to Administrator: The Journey of L. R. Thapar on Indian Railways
This captivating memoir chronicles the remarkable career of L. R. Thapar, an engineer who rose through the ranks to become a distinguished administrator, bringing significant improvements to Train Operations on the Indian Railways. Through sheer hard work, perseverance, and unwavering loyalty to the organization and its people, Thapar left an indelible mark on the system.
Spanning 56 years, Thapar’s illustrious career is vividly recounted, highlighting his ability to tackle delicate and risky issues under challenging conditions. His sterling contributions to Traffic planning were pivotal, identifying neglected areas that were critical to the development of the Railways as a system serving the people, trade, and commerce of India.
Two successive Ministers for Railways, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav, recognized Thapar's outstanding achievements, particularly his work in accident relief and achieving a record freight loading of 600 million tonnes in the Financial Year 2004-2005.
Originating from a middle-class family in Jalandhar, Punjab, Thapar's academic brilliance was evident early on as a National Scholarship holder. He graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, in 1966. His quest for knowledge continued throughout his career, earning an LL.B. from Delhi University in 1994, an MBA in Marketing from IGNOU in 2000, and a Ph.D. in Marketing Management from Aligarh Muslim University in 2006, shortly after retiring as Additional Member (Traffic Transportation) from the Railways in 2005.
In 2006, Thapar transitioned to the private sector, joining Hind Terminals Pvt. Ltd. as Managing Director (Rail Operations). Under his guidance and mentorship, the company has become a major player in Container Train Operations and logistics services, developing numerous Rail Terminals across India.
This is the inspiring story of a man whose dedication and vision significantly advanced the Indian Railways and left a lasting legacy.
