Petroleum Minister Pradhan Urges Community to Contribute its Talents
After the meeting, the gathering of community well wishers came together to pose with the Minister Pradhan (center) for a group photo. Photos: Bjiay Dixit.
By Pramod Kulkarni
HOUSTON: Despite the passage of time and long distance from our motherland, members of the Indian commnuity in Houston exhibit a passionate interest in political and economic activities underway in India.
It was this attachment that led many to contribute their resources to electoral success of the BJP party led by Prime Minister Modi.
Despite the rainy weather last Sunday, March 5, and a short meeting notice, nearly 100 members of the community came together to meet and listen to the visiting Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan.
Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas, addressed the community gathering in Hindi. He spoke eloquently, despite being a native of Orissa.
With much of India’s oil and gas industry organized within the government or government-directed public sector companies, Minister Pradhan has day-to-day responsibilities of the industry from upstream exploration to production, and then, downstream petroleulm refining and petrochemical processing, down to the retail gasoline pump and distribution of cooking propane gas to households.
Born in 1969, Mr. Pradhan is the son of is the son of former BJP MP Dr. Debendra Pradhan. He received an MA in anthropology from University of Bhubaneswar. He got his start in politics as a student leader.
Pradhan served as an MP from Deogarh district from 2012-14. When the BJP came to power in 2016, Pradhan was appointed to the Rajya Sabha so he could join the cabinet as the petroleum minister.
Some political analysts see Pradhan as one of the upcoming BJP leaders and a protege of PM Narendra Modi.
At the Houston community meeting, Pradhan acknowledged the importance of Houston to the oil and gas industry. “The circle of the energy industry is not complete without Houston.”
Despite not having an oil industry background, Pradhan has quickly assumed a grasp of India’s energy challenges, namely the necessity of reducing the import burden because up to 80% of oil has to be imported and 50% of natural gas has to be imported to satisfy India’s growing energy demand.
At the outset of the community meeting, Minister Pradhan expressed his sympathy for the recent victims of racial hate crimes of Indian origin. “I’m glad Consular officials were able to reach the victims and their families o provide timely support.
Minister Pradhan stressed the need for people of Indian origin that have oil industry experience to help India increase domestic production.