FrancisClement: created some info nd citations

2026-02-12T03:08:51Z

created some info nd citations

New page

{{short description|Indian civil servant (born 1947)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = S.B. Ghosh Dastidar
| image = File:Syamal Bhushan Ghosh Dastidar.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1947|04|01}}
| birth_place = [[Barisal District]], Bengal
| occupation = [[Civil servant]], advisor to Gateway Rail Freight Ltd.
| years_active =
| awards = [[Padma Shri]]
}}

'''Syamal Bhushan Ghosh Dastidar''' is an ex-Indian [[civil servant]], former Member Traffic of the Railway Board and Ex-Officio Secretary to the Government of India.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rail Budget 2016: Spending On Capacity Expansion Will Be Welcome, Says Dastidar |url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/economy/rail-budget-2016-spendingcapacity-expansion-will-be-welcome-says-dastidar-1036691.html |website=www.moneycontrol.com}}</ref> In 2009, he was the only person to be awarded the [[Padma Shri]], India's fourth highest civilian award, in the civil service category.<ref name='padma'>{{cite web |title=Padma Awards 2009 |url=http://www.dashboard-padmaawards.gov.in/?Year=2009-2009 |website=padmaawards.gov.in |language=en}}</ref>

Ghosh Dastidar served as Vice Chairman of the Railway Claims Tribunal, New Delhi. He has also served in the Board of Directors of [[NTPC Limited|National Thermal Power Corporation of India]]<ref name='ntpc'>{{cite web |title=NTPC Ltd. |url=https://www.ntpc.co.in/sites/default/files/downloads/NTPCTaxFreeBondsProspectusSeptember172015Final.pdf |website=Ntpc.co.in}}</ref> and [[Bharat Coking Coal|Bharat Coking Coal Limited]].<ref name='bccl'>{{cite web |title=Annual Report 2013-2014 |url=http://www.bcclweb.in/files/2014/08/report13-14.pdf |website=BCCL}}</ref> In addition, he is an advisor to Gateway Rail Freight Ltd, India's leading private container train operator.

==Early life and education==
S.B. Ghosh Dastidar was born on 1 April 1947, in the [[Barisal district]] of British India to Haridas Ghosh Dastidar (father) and Amiyabala Ghosh Dastidar (mother). Ghosh Dastidar's family moved to Calcutta during the [[Partition of India]]. He completed his initial studies from [[Hooghly Collegiate School]]. Mr Ghosh Dastidar joined the Indian Railway Traffic Service in 1969 after completing his [[Bachelor of Engineering]] (Mechanical) from [[Calcutta University]].{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}

==Career==
As Assistant Operating Superintendent, Sahibgunj, Ghosh Dastidar introduced a new system of clubbing wagon load consignments to trainload for a Single Destination which increased the productivity of wagons fourfold. In 1975, Ghosh Dastidar almost doubled the Freight loading of Barkakhana subdivision by revamping the coal pilot working of Patratu Coalfield. Later, as Senior Divisional Operating Manager of Dhanbad division, he introduced the concept of Pool Allotment in Patratu Coal Field. This improved the supply of coal to power houses by better line capacity utilization and reduced cost of transportation.<ref name='moha'>{{cite book |title=Padma Awards 2009 |date=2 March 2009 |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs |page=507}}</ref>

Ghosh Dastidar has also worked as Traffic Adviser to [[Aqaba Railway Corporation]] in Jordan where he was sent on deputation. He helped improve the freight loading of Aqaba Railways from 1.9 million tons per annum to 4 million tons per annum.<ref name='moha'/>

Later as Chief Operations Manager of South Central Railway he achieved 12% Compounded Annual Growth (C.A.G.) of freight loading compared to only 3% C.A.G of freight loading of Indian Railways. He also introduced running of Long Haul Trains up the world's steepest ghat (hill) section between Qulem and Castle Rock without using locotrol.<ref>{{cite book |title=General Manager's Annual Report 2007-08, South Central Railway |date=28 April 2009 |publisher=Indian Railways |page=215}}</ref>

In Dec 2003, as Additional Member (Traffic) of the Railway Board, Shri S.B.Ghosh signed an agreement with his Pakistani counterpart to re-establish the second rail link between India and Pakistan after about 40 years. Following this, the [[Thar Express]] started its operations between Bhagat Ki Kothi (India) and Karachi Cantonment (Pakistan), on 18 February 2006 during his tenure as Member (Traffic).<ref>{{cite web |title=Joint Press Statement on Samjhauta Express |url=https://mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/5569/Joint_Press_Statement_on_Samjhauta_Express |website=mea.gov.in}}</ref>

In 2005, as General Manager of Central Railway, he restored the railway system in record time during the all-time high torrential rain and flood which paralyzed all systems in the city of Mumbai.<ref>{{cite web |title=Safety is our topmost priority' |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/other/advertorial/article30205657.ece |website=The Hindu|date=28 July 2005 }}</ref>

As Member Traffic, Railway Board and Ex-Officio Secretary to Government of India from July 2005 to March 2007, Ghosh Dastidar played a pivotal role in scripting the financial turnaround of Indian Railways which generated Rs. 14,453 crores in profit in 2006–07.<ref name='moha'/>

Ghosh helped to improve rail movement of 126 million tons in those two years that far exceeded the average growth of 10-11 million tons per year over the last 50 years. At the core of this new operational strategy was bringing about an increase in axel load of freight wagons.<ref>{{cite web |title=GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (BHARAT SARKAR) MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (RAIL MANTRALAYA) RAILWAY BOARD |url=https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/traffic_comm/freight_rate-2k6/rate_inst_41-2k6.pdf |website=Indian Railways}}</ref>

With the help of Member Engineering, he modified and increased the height of "Standard Moving Dimensions". He redesigned the rolling stock to substantially increase the carrying capacities of the freight (particularly covered wagons) and passenger cars.<ref>{{cite web |title=Turnaround' of Indian Railways: Increasing the Axle Loading |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/6443752.pdf?repositoryId=153 |website=core.ac.uk}}</ref>

During his tenure as Member Traffic, Ghosh Dastidar conceived and developed the blueprint of the Dedicated Freight Corridor Project and initiated and led the development work of [[Western Dedicated Freight Corridor]] and [[Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor]].<ref>{{cite web |title=NATIONAL TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT POLICY COMMITTEE|url=https://niti.gov.in/planningcommission.gov.in/docs/sectors/NTDPC/Working%20Group%20Reports/Railways/Report%20of%20Working%20Group%20on%20Railways_Submitted%20to%20the%20Govt%20on%20Aug%209th,%202012.pdf |website=Niti.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Working Groups for the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012) |url=https://niti.gov.in/planningcommission.gov.in/docs/aboutus/committee/wrkgrp11/wrk11_16a.htm |website=Niti.gov.in}}</ref>

He also introduced market-driven industry-specific dynamic pricing models and simplified commercial rules.<ref>{{cite web |title=Speech of Shri Lalu Prasad Introducing the Railway Budget for 2006-07, on 24th February 2006 |url=http://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/finance_budget/Previous%20Budget%20Speeches/2006-07.pdf |website=Indian Railways}}</ref> In December 2006, Ghosh Dastidar also introduced ‘Zero Based Time Table’, which is the ‘bedrock’ of all future time tables.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fast forward on Rlys from Dec 1 |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/fast-forward-on-rlys-from-dec-1/17536/ |website=Indian Express}}</ref>

Ghosh Dastidar is the main architect behind many projects in the Indian Railways, such as operation of airconditioned [[Garib Rath]] trains,<ref>{{cite web |title=First "Garib Rath" will roll out after June: Lalu |url=https://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/first-garib-rath-will-roll-out-after-june-lalu_293360.html |website=Zee News |language=en |date=7 May 2006}}</ref> privatization of container train operations,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Das |first1=Mamuni |title=Concor sell off sparks private monopoly concerns |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/experts-differ-on-fallout-of-concor-disinvestment/article30036530.ece |website=@businessline |date=21 November 2019 |language=en}}</ref> [[Ticket machine|computerized self ticketing machines]], dial 139, Internet ticketing system to name a few.<ref>{{cite web |title=GALLERY OF THE GREATS' |url=http://www.nair.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1499411527916-Distinguished%20Allumni.pdf |website=Indian Railway}}</ref>

After retirement, Ghosh Dastidar served as Vice Chairman of Railway Claims Tribunal, New Delhi. In 2011, he was appointed as Independent Director for [[NTPC Limited|National Thermal Power Corporation of India]]<ref name='ntpc'/> and in 2012 he was appointed as Independent Director of [[Bharat Coking Coal|Bharat Coking Coal Limited]].<ref name='bccl'/>

==Publications==
*Terminals on Indian Railways, S. B. Ghosh Dastidar, Journal of Transport and Infrastructure, Volume 16, 2005, No 1<ref>{{cite web |title=THE ASIAN JOURNAL |url=http://www.aitd.net.in/pdf/AsianJournals/24%20-%20Rail%20Terminal%20Facilities.pdf |website=Aitd}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Ghosh Dastidar is married to Sreela Ghosh, also a civil servant (a recipient of the Presidential Award for Specially Distinguished Record of Service), who retired as Member, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs and Special Secretary to Government of India.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Gazette of India |url=http://www.aitd.net.in/pdf/AsianJournals/24%20-%20Rail%20Terminal%20Facilities.pdf |website=CBIC}}</ref> They have two children: Rajarshi Ghosh Dastidar and Sharmishtha Ghosh. He is a devotee of [[Yogoda Satsanga Society of India]] established by Sri Sri [[Paramahansa Yogananda]] in 1917.

==Awards==
*[[Padma Shri]] (2009) for distinguished Civil Services<ref name='padma'/>
*Lifetime Achievement Award (2011) by [[National Academy of Indian Railways]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Railway Staff College to be rechristened - Indian Express |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/railway-staff-college-to-be-rechristened/1067824/ |website=Indianexpress.com}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Padma Shri award recipients (2000–2009)]]
*[[Indian Railway Traffic Service]]
*[[Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India|Dedicated Freight Corridor]]
*[[Thar Express]]
*[[Garib Rath]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Civil Service}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghosh Dastidar, Syamal Bhushan}}
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in civil service]]
[[Category:Indian civil servants]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1947 births]]

Syamal Bhushan Ghosh Dastidar - Revision history

FrancisClement: created some info nd citations