Accept what comes to you”, says Syed Bilal Basha, director, finance, Southern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh Limited (APSPDCL). Basha joined Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board in 1986 as junior accounts officer and worked at Madanapalli and Tirupati, Chittoor district. He held several positions in various state power utilities including Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited, Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh Limited, and Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited.
In his current role, Basha is responsible for organising the financials of APSPDCL, enhancing and realising revenue at the earliest possible time, arranging funds for generators and suppliers, besides works and material funding. Commenting on the current state of the power sector, Basha says, “Though 2012-13 witnessed a huge gap in demand and supply, especially in the southern part of the country, the situation improved in later years with ease in demand-supply position. Now, power is becoming cheaper and surplus. The coming years will further ease the demand-supply gap.”
Basha is a commerce graduate with an MBA in finance and a postgraduate diploma in public accounting. Basha formed the Ranga Reddy (North) operation circle, following the bifurcation of the Ranga Reddy circle. He recounts keeping the new operation circle on track as his most memorable assignment. “As senior accounts officer of the newly formed operation circle, my job of managing the accounts wing with a very limited number of staff members was challenging,” he says.
Talking about his management style, Basha says that he follows a need-based approach, where in he tries to strike a balance between the available choices and goes along with the option that is less risky, and the most acceptable and beneficial for the discom.
Basha likes to start his day with his morning prayer and a cup of tea or coffee, which is followed by reading the Quran and some physical exercise. His hobbies include reading books and listening to classical Hindi songs. He would like to visit historical places, especially royal forts. Basha’s family includes his wife, who is a home-maker, and their two daughters. His elder daughter holds an MBBS degree and the younger daughter is an interior designer with a B.Tech. in engineering.