Ghananand Pande

Ghananand Pande (1 January 1902 – c. 1995) was an Indian engineer and a civil servant. He held key positions in the Government of India and contributed to engineering education reforms in India. In 1969, he received the Padma Vibhushan award, the second highest civilian award of India.

Early life and career Pande was born in Ranikhet, a small town in Almora district in present-day state of Uttarakhand. Pande completed his primary and secondary schooling in Almora and Nainital. Pande pursued higher education at Allahabad University, where he earned his undergraduate degree with first-division honors in 1922.

Following his retirement from the Railway Board, Pande continued to hold prominent roles in India's industrial and educational spheres. From 1957 to 1960, he served as first the chairman of Hindustan Steel, overseeing the establishment of three major public sector steel plants in Bhilai, Rourkela, and Durgapur. He proposed a baby car project in 1960–61 and recommended that small cars be manufactured in India. He left the position voluntarily.