Mr. Avinash Sankholkar is a Managing Partner at Latence Consulting, the Director on the board of Maharashtra Enviro Power Ltd. in Nagpur, a company that deals with the treatment of hazardous effluents and solid waste through cutting edge technologies. Mr. Sankholkar is the former Vice President of L&T lnfotech. After retirement from L&T, he set up Latence Consulting that focuses on unlocking hidden potential of enterprise IT systems in project businesses.
Out of a career span of 42 years, he has spent 40 years with L&T Group. The first 25 years were engaged in core chemical engineering of turnkey chemical plants and systems projects in various roles, starting with Process Engineer and ending with General Manger (Projects). The subsequent 15 years focused on Information Technology and Enterprise Systems Deployments and leveraging them to the maximum in L&T’s project business.
Subsequently as VP (IT and System Integration Business) of L&T lnfotech, he pioneered and steered the company’s entry into turnkey IT systems projects.
Mr. Sankholkar also led the enhancement of internal IT systems to ensure a high efficiency of operations with the best level of security. Earlier, he was responsible for fast-track growth of the new Infrastructure Management Services business.
For innovative application of the SAP ERP in the Project Engineering and Construction business, Mr. Sankholkar has won the SAP ACE award. He was also awarded the Intelligent Enterprise Award for the deployment of Project manpower productivity software in L&T E&C Projects. He has also received the Most Admired Knowledge Enterprise (MAKE ) in the E&C Project space.
Mr. Sankholkar is a Director (Hon. Treasurer) on the board of IIT Bombay Alumni Association (IITBAA). He acted like an IITB ambassador in L&T. He was the go-to-person for IITB faculty and students to get in plant vacation training in L&T, factory visits and sponsorship from L&T for IITB conferences and seminars. He was also involved in setting up a L&T Build India scholarship programme and closer cooperation in research projects. Mr. Sankholkar was on a CII Western Region task force, led by Mr. Naushad Forbes and Prof. Ashok Mishra, as L&T nominee, to increase overall industry interaction with IITB in research and operational excellence initiatives. This resulted in a spurt of industry interactions with IITB in multiple roles.
As Hon. Secretary for IITBAA Mumbai Chapter, he was instrumental in reactivation of Chapter activities, with successful organization of a new series of exciting lectures by accomplished alumni, under the banner of SPARK. subsequently, as Director on IITBAA Board, he was in the core group that designed and executed a mega event called IITBAA Global Business Forum. He focused on the financial execution within the budgets to generate a significant surplus. Currently, he is serving as the Treasurer of IITBAA and working on a new initiative to better investment of IITBAA funds to improve yield while controlling direct expenses.
Mr. Sankholkar has a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT Bombay (1974). Sharing his memories of IIT Bombay, he says, “As Social Secretary in Hostel 4 in the year 1971, I was instrumental in buying the first stereo music system – Cosmic amplifier and Speakers with a Garrard Record player to run LP and EP disc records. Subsequently. I built a top-of-the-line collection of Indian and Western records. It was satisfying to see the hostelites sitting in the lounge and using the facility to the fullest. This memory seems so amazing in contrast to today’s times of internet and personal devices for enjoying musical pursuits.”
He adds further, “During my final year in IITB in 73-74, I recall the opportunity to meet a shy and quiet fresher, especially since he was from my home town in Goa. Thanks to the IITB magical foundation, over five years on the campus, that person transformed into a daring and dynamic Raksha Mantri of India, our very own Manohar Parrikar.”