Gopal H : Emerging To Success In The Concrete Jungle Through Adaptation, Collaboration, & Success
Gopal H
Chairman & Managing Director
During an exclusive interview with us, Gopal shared numerous insights into the organization's operations and outlined his plans for the industry's future.
Can you provide a short overview of your professional history and experiences?
After my Bachelor of Electrical Engineering in 1993 from UVCE, Bangalore, family circumstances led me to work as a lecturer in a Polytechnic college for nearly four years. Returning to Bangalore posed challenges in entering the industry due to the career gap. A significant opportunity emerged with K Natarajan, of KN & Associates, Jayanagar, Bangalore, an Architectural design centre. Collaborating with him, I diversified my consulting career to include residential and commercial project design, implementation, and supervision, gaining practical insights beyond conventional design.
Between 1997 and 2003, my focus shifted to design and supervision, facilitating interactions with workers at different levels and integrating practical construction knowledge into my approach. Inspired by K. Natarajan, my mentor, and my Guru, I ventured into contracting in 2004, facing challenges that were mitigated by his moral support and guidance. This transition not only involved technical aspects but also required support in manpower, materials, and financial management. In 2003, entrusted with a bungalow project, I gained
valuable construction experience, rein-forcing my commitment to project completion with a focus on mobilization, planning, and coordination.
How do you characterize Melgiri Power Infraa as a company, and what is its current standing in the market?
We started Power Links in 2004, a company specializing in electrical contracting work for various real estate verticals. Evolving from this, we expanded services to cover mechanical and public health, eventually transitioning it to a private limited entity in 2017, named Melgiri Power Infraa, operating under the brand 'Melgiri'. Our primary focus is electrical contracting, ranging from power stations to endpoints of the facilities. We offer diverse services, including data networking, public announcement, talkback, fire detection, firefighting, security, and access control systems, serving sectors like Gated communities, Residential and commercial complexes, various verticals of Industries, Labs, gaming, hospitality, healthcare, and more.
Additionally, we now have built skills to provide public health engineering services, firefighting and HVAC integrated as an auxiliary service under MEP EPC. The entire EPC activities are carried out with dedicated departments for finance, HR & Admin, costing & tendering, contracting, engineering, customization, procurement, safety, and execution, we maintain high skill levels in our team. Emphasizing post-project services, we ensure quality through ongoing training.
How did you successfully address the challenges posed by the significant projects you managed, and what valuable lessons did you glean from those experiences?
To overcome project challenges, we engage with service consultants, project management or design consultants, to assess requirements through prequali-fication documentation covering financing, manpower, material mobilization, banking, HSE, HR, safety policies, tools & tackles. Consultants establish project capacity, make execution recommendations to meet client needs, and inquire about the contractor's value addition. Managing market inflation, planned projects face years-long lead times, requiring contractors to employ Value Engineering - reducing costs without compromising quality. Collaboration between project and design consultants is crucial for
How do you characterize Melgiri Power Infraa as a company, and what is its current standing in the market?
We started Power Links in 2004, a company specializing in electrical contracting work for various real estate verticals. Evolving from this, we expanded services to cover mechanical and public health, eventually transitioning it to a private limited entity in 2017, named Melgiri Power Infraa, operating under the brand 'Melgiri'. Our primary focus is electrical contracting, ranging from power stations to endpoints of the facilities. We offer diverse services, including data networking, public announcement, talkback, fire detection, firefighting, security, and access control systems, serving sectors like Gated communities, Residential and commercial complexes, various verticals of Industries, Labs, gaming, hospitality, healthcare, and more.
Honesty, humility, & hard work lead to success. Embracing reality, free from expectations, is a key step for personal & professional growth
Additionally, we now have built skills to provide public health engineering services, firefighting and HVAC integrated as an auxiliary service under MEP EPC. The entire EPC activities are carried out with dedicated departments for finance, HR & Admin, costing & tendering, contracting, engineering, customization, procurement, safety, and execution, we maintain high skill levels in our team. Emphasizing post-project services, we ensure quality through ongoing training.
How did you successfully address the challenges posed by the significant projects you managed, and what valuable lessons did you glean from those experiences?
To overcome project challenges, we engage with service consultants, project management or design consultants, to assess requirements through prequali-fication documentation covering financing, manpower, material mobilization, banking, HSE, HR, safety policies, tools & tackles. Consultants establish project capacity, make execution recommendations to meet client needs, and inquire about the contractor's value addition. Managing market inflation, planned projects face years-long lead times, requiring contractors to employ Value Engineering - reducing costs without compromising quality. Collaboration between project and design consultants is crucial for
successful project outcomes. At Melgiri, internal teams, led by team leaders, specialize in these activities with a structured process for efficient project management.
Share your leadership approach with us. What principles or methods do you adhere to as a leader?
When guiding my team to success, I stress the importance of keen observation and adapt-ability to market dynamics. I encourage embracing change and emphasize the value of belonging to a community. Sharing my career journey, I highlight the significance of connecting with indivi-duals across all levels, fostering interactions, and breaking down barriers. In client collaborations, I initiate conversations to understand needs comprehensively and propose enhanced solutions, moving beyond straightforward budget requests.
What is the ultimate destination you aim to reach in the future?
Currently operational with headquarters in Bangalore and branch offices in Telangana and Tamil Nadu, Melgiri aims to expand its nationwide presence for better service to the real estate industry. In line with the Prime Minister's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India, Melgiri introduced Melgiri Green Energies to contribute to eco-friendly initiatives, specifically venturing into natural gas production. Initiatives include a biogas plant producing 2500 kg per day using agricultural products and industrial waste, reflecting Melgiri's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.
Additionally, Melgiri is pursuing backward and forward integration for quality project delivery, including establishing an Electrical Control Panels & Cable Tray production facility under Melgiri SME TRAYGEAR. Setup is underway, with plans to inaugurate the manufacturing plant by the end of the current financial year, showcasing our strategic expansion and diversification.
Gopal H, Chairman & Managing Director, Melgiri Group
Gopal H, an Electrical Engineering graduate, transitioned from teaching to directing operations at Melgiri Power Infraa, an EPC MEP Contracting company for the manufacturing industry, warehouse, healthcare & hospitality sector, residential & commercial sector to name a few, Melgiri Green Energies, a CBG/CNG production company, Melgiri SME TRAYGEAR, a manufacturing setup for Panel & Trays. Gopal is also the Director at GDC Eco Energy. Specializing in power quality Audits and Solutions that include, sales and service for items like harmonic filters, static stabilizers, Static VAR generators for PF Correction, RECD, and solar.
Share your leadership approach with us. What principles or methods do you adhere to as a leader?
When guiding my team to success, I stress the importance of keen observation and adapt-ability to market dynamics. I encourage embracing change and emphasize the value of belonging to a community. Sharing my career journey, I highlight the significance of connecting with indivi-duals across all levels, fostering interactions, and breaking down barriers. In client collaborations, I initiate conversations to understand needs comprehensively and propose enhanced solutions, moving beyond straightforward budget requests.
What is the ultimate destination you aim to reach in the future?
Currently operational with headquarters in Bangalore and branch offices in Telangana and Tamil Nadu, Melgiri aims to expand its nationwide presence for better service to the real estate industry. In line with the Prime Minister's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India, Melgiri introduced Melgiri Green Energies to contribute to eco-friendly initiatives, specifically venturing into natural gas production. Initiatives include a biogas plant producing 2500 kg per day using agricultural products and industrial waste, reflecting Melgiri's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.
Additionally, Melgiri is pursuing backward and forward integration for quality project delivery, including establishing an Electrical Control Panels & Cable Tray production facility under Melgiri SME TRAYGEAR. Setup is underway, with plans to inaugurate the manufacturing plant by the end of the current financial year, showcasing our strategic expansion and diversification.
Gopal H, Chairman & Managing Director, Melgiri Group
Gopal H, an Electrical Engineering graduate, transitioned from teaching to directing operations at Melgiri Power Infraa, an EPC MEP Contracting company for the manufacturing industry, warehouse, healthcare & hospitality sector, residential & commercial sector to name a few, Melgiri Green Energies, a CBG/CNG production company, Melgiri SME TRAYGEAR, a manufacturing setup for Panel & Trays. Gopal is also the Director at GDC Eco Energy. Specializing in power quality Audits and Solutions that include, sales and service for items like harmonic filters, static stabilizers, Static VAR generators for PF Correction, RECD, and solar.