GRAPHITE INDIA

Near my house at the Doddanakundi industrial area in Mahadevapura is the company called Graphite India that makes graphite electrodes for the steel industry. I think this company was set up in the year 1973 by the Bangur group with the help of Great lakes carbon corporation of the US. Mr.Maniar was a key person in the setting up of the plant it is said. Mr G K Nambiar was head of marketing for many years.

Graphite is a allotropic form of carbon found in natural form; however it can be manufactured as synthetically using manufacturing procedures.The industry by itself is very dusty with carbon. Pitch and coke are used as raw materials.

I used to know A K Jain who was the general manager of the plant in 1992. He used to be very pious man and used to walk around the plant every day praying to the various deities. I came to know later that he died of brain tumour. He had met with an accident some where in 1992 when his white ambassador car collided with a truck when he was on the wheel near Lowry  School.

This company is a major consumer of electric power with a 66kv line entering the factory premises. Mr. Ashwathnarayana Reddy a local politician was union leader for some time. John P Sachs the President of great lakes carbon corporation visited the plant some time during the late 1980's.

The entire area looks quite different now especially after the itpl came up in its vicinity. This company pollutes the environment and the owners and well-wishers must find some method to control and reduce the pollution.