Prasanna Chitre, DGM – Instrumentation in Thyssenkrupp Uhde India Pvt Ltd.

Your career spans 30 years in instrumentation engineering. What inspired you to pursue this dynamic and ever-evolving field?

From the very beginning, I recognised instrumentation as a central and powerful tool in driving the modernisation of industries, enhancing both efficiency and reliability in processes. Instrumentation engineering offers a unique blend of knowledge across core engineering disciplines—such as Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, Electronics, Communications, and Automation—ensuring that the field remains dynamic and never monotonous. With the continuous advancements driven by the growing demand for automation, the field provides constant opportunities for learning and innovation, which keeps me engaged and motivated on a daily basis.

As the Deputy General Manager at Thyssenkrupp Uhde India Pvt Ltd, what leadership principles guide your work in managing complex engineering projects across diverse industries?

In the Industry today with complex demands and timelines I find it is most important to have customer focus. To understand the needs and to deliver efficiently it is very important to listen and to communicate properly. Team work needs to be done by recognising individual strengths and weaknesses and by empowering and strengthening the team to get the best output is the key in today's challenging environment.

You’ve contributed to EPC and EPCM contracts in chemicals, petrochemicals, and refineries. Could you share a particularly challenging project and how you successfully managed it?

There have been many challenging projects during the span of my career. I found a common thread in dealing with the most difficult situations, which was to take the challenges head on and to build trust with the concerned parties. When everyone realises that you are working for the interest of the project, you win their cooperation and things fall in line.

There were situations where we dealt with foreign Clients, vendors and contractors who gave us full support and cooperation. Some projects had difficult revamp conditions which were successfully executed. Projects with stringent timelines and cost control were also delivered within expectations. All this by utilising domain knowledge clubbed with good communication and trust.

Your expertise spans from estimation to commissioning. How do you ensure consistency and quality throughout such diverse stages of a project?

Keeping your focus on doing things right with the right way helps in maintaining consistency and quality. One needs to continuously keep on learning and working on your own improvement. Recognising the needs of the stage of the project you are working on and keeping strictly on the track helps in execution of the required steps in an efficient manner.

As a QA representative and ISO 9001: 2015 internal auditor, what strategies have you implemented to maintain compliance and enhance quality standards in engineering processes?

The ISO standard encompasses all industries. It is very important to understand it and translate its applicability to your area of work. I always tried to understand its intent and application and helped others also to understand and correlate it to our working process. This way compliance becomes relevant and everyone appreciates its requirement. This approach helped me to bring everyone to cooperate in complying and hence enhancing the quality in return.

You’ve been actively involved in training coordination and skill development. Could you share how your mentoring efforts have impacted the team and organisation?

In today’s fast-paced world with a dynamic workforce, keeping teams aligned with company goals is crucial for efficiency. Identifying training needs and providing learning opportunities require structured efforts, fostering skill development and collaboration. Effective mentoring enhances engagement, strengthens team loyalty, and builds a strong talent pipeline. These efforts lead to long-term success for both employees and the organisation.

Having worked with both public and private sector clients, what key differences and learnings have shaped your approach to engineering and project management?

Reply: Working with diverse clients builds strong decision-making skills and the ability to navigate constraints to achieve goals. Often, innovation and out-of-the-box thinking are essential in challenging situations, rather than relying on traditional methods.

Understanding client expectations and limitations while guiding the team with persistence and focus is a leader’s responsibility. This strategic approach is key to the success of any project.

What advice would you give to young professionals aspiring to build a successful career in instrumentation engineering?

For young professionals in instrumentation engineering, continuous learning and adaptability are key. Work on building strong technical fundamentals while developing problem-solving and decision-making skills. Gain hands-on experience with diverse projects to understand real-world constraints and challenges. Embrace innovation and think beyond traditional approaches to tackle complex situations. Effective communication and teamwork are crucial for collaborating with clients and teams. Stay updated with industry trends, pursue relevant certifications. This will set the foundation for a successful career.

What is your opinion on the role of Industrial Automation magazine in showcasing industry trends and empowering women in technology and automation?

Industrial Automation magazine offers the latest updates and serves as a go-to resource for industry trends. Its insights from leaders and innovators are both inspiring and motivating. Highlighting women leaders and their contributions in technology is crucial, as it showcases achievements in a field where women remain a minority. By bringing these successes to the forefront, the magazine empowers skilled and talented women to step forward and confidently pursue careers in technology and automation.

What are the three words that best describe how it feels to be a finalist in the Women in Tech 2025 competition?

Empowered. Enlightened. Grateful.

That is how I feel to be the finalists in Women in Tech 2025.

Empowered because this recognition gives me more confidence to execute my thoughts in actions in my work as an Instrumentation engineer.

Enlightened because it opens my world to know many more women who are doing wonderful and praiseworthy work in the area of technology and automation and to get inspired by them.

Grateful because a recognition of around 30 years of work in this industry gives satisfaction and happiness because it validates that one is on the right track and the efforts were well spent.

(The views expressed in this interview are personal, not necessarily of the organisation represented)

Prasanna Chitre in her own words: Presently working as DGM – Instrumentation in Thyssenkrupp Uhde India Pvt Ltd, I began my career as an Instrumentation Engineer in 1994 after earning a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics & Instrumentation from SGSITS, Indore. I am passionate about working in the core engineering field, which I find dynamic, ever-evolving, and filled with new challenges that keep me motivated.

I have had the opportunity to collaborate with esteemed clients across the entire spectrum of design for chemical, petrochemical, refinery, and utility plants. My experience covers basic, FEED, and detailed engineering, along with estimation, procurement, inspections, installation supervision, and commissioning under EPC and EPCM contracts.

As a seasoned engineer, I have also served as a QA representative and training coordinator. Additionally, I hold an internal auditor certification for ISO 9001:2015.

Having my contributions duly recognised and rewarded, I am committed to furthering my impact by advocating for diversity, mentoring aspiring professionals, and empowering women in technology. I strive to bring in and nurture more talent in this field, fostering a more inclusive and innovative engineering community.