#Indian Steel Industry

[townpostin]

Tata Steel Cautions Against Job Fraud, Uncovers Multi-State Recruitment Scam

Fraudsters Demand Money for Fake Job Offers, Company Warns Public Key Points: • Tata Steel exposes large-scale fake recruitment scam across multiple states • Company files FIR against identified scammers, warns public to stay vigilant • Only @tatasteel.com email domain used for official communication, firm states JAMSHEDPUR – Tata Steel has uncovered a multi-state recruitment scam, urging the…

[arc-hus]

Imagine Studio at the Trees, Mumbai - Studio Lotus

[tubefit]

IBR Flanges: Ensuring Safety and Reliability with Tubefit Industries

IBR Flanges: A Comprehensive Guide by Tubefit Industries

IBR flanges are necessary element used in industries requiring high-pressure applications, such as power plants, refineries, and chemical plants. The term "IBR" stands for Indian Boiler Regulations, a set of standards established to ensure the safety, reliability, and efficiency of boiler systems. These flanges are designed and manufactured to meet stringent specifications set by IBR, ensuring they can withstand the most demanding environments.

At Tubefit Industries, we specialize in producing high-quality IBR flanges that cater to various industrial needs. Our IBR flanges are manufactured from superior-grade materials, offering exceptional durability, corrosion resistance, and long-term performance. Whether you're working with steam, water, or other high-pressure fluids, Tubefit Industries provides flanges that comply with IBR standards, ensuring the safety and operational integrity of your system.

Key Features of IBR Flanges by Tubefit Industries:

Compliance with IBR Standards: All flanges are manufactured in strict adherence to the Indian Boiler Regulations, ensuring high safety and quality standards.

Wide Range of Materials: Available in materials like carbon steel, stainless steel, and alloy steel, suitable for various industrial applications.

Precision Engineering: Our flanges are crafted using advanced technology, ensuring precise dimensions and a perfect fit for reliable and leak-proof connections.

Corrosion Resistance: Tubefit Industries' IBR flanges are designed to resist corrosion and maintain their strength even in harsh environments.

Customizable Options: We offer customized IBR flanges based on client specifications, ensuring compatibility with specific system requirements.

If you need top-notch IBR flanges for your high-pressure systems, Tubefit Industries is your trusted partner. Our Dictionary to quality, reliability, and customer contentment ensures that you get the best product for your industrial applications.

Contact us at:

Phone: 9999622266, 9999010233

Email: sales@tubefitindustries.in

Website: https://www.tubefitindustries.in/ibr-flanges/

Add: Kila Number 20-21 Pali Nekpur Road Pali Faridabad-121004

[seairexim]

Steel Imports in India: Key Trends, Data & Top Countries

India, a rapidly developing economy, has witnessed significant growth in infrastructure, construction, and industrial sectors, which has driven the demand for steel. While India is one of the world's largest producers of steel, it still relies on imports to meet its growing domestic demand. Steel imports play a crucial role in complementing domestic production, particularly in specialized steel types where domestic manufacturers face limitations. In this article, we will explore the import of steel in India, analyze data on Indian steel imports, examine the countries that play a key role in this trade, and provide insights into the top 10 steel-importing countries globally.

Import of Steel in India: An Overview

India's steel sector is a cornerstone of its industrial growth, contributing significantly to the nation's GDP. Despite having a strong domestic production base, India has continued to import steel to meet specific needs, such as high-grade and specialized steel used in sectors like automobiles, defense, and infrastructure. The Indian government has undertaken various initiatives to boost domestic steel production, but imports remain essential to filling gaps in domestic supply and ensuring the availability of specific steel grades.

Indian steel imports vary by category and often depend on factors such as demand fluctuations, cost competitiveness, and availability of raw materials. These imports help maintain the supply-demand balance and meet the requirements of various industries, including the construction, manufacturing, and automotive sectors.

Steel Imports by Country

Several countries contribute to India's steel imports, each supplying different types and grades of steel. The top steel exporters to India include countries with advanced steel industries that produce specialized steel variants. Here's a list of steel imports by country:

China

China is one of the largest steel producers and exporters in the world, making it a significant source of steel for India. Despite India’s efforts to curtail its dependency on Chinese imports, Chinese steel, especially finished and semi-finished products, continues to play a critical role in India's steel sector.

Japan

Japan's advanced steel technology and high-quality products make it a reliable exporter to India. Japanese steel is preferred in industries that require precision and high durability, such as automotive and electronics manufacturing.

South Korea

South Korea is another key exporter, known for its high-quality steel. The country's advanced steel production capabilities allow it to cater to India's need for specialized steel in sectors like construction and heavy engineering.

Russia

Russia has emerged as an important steel exporter to India, offering competitive prices and a variety of steel grades. The country’s vast reserves of raw materials enable it to provide high-quality steel at lower costs.

Germany

Germany is renowned for its high-quality engineering and steel products. Although not a major player compared to China or Japan, Germany supplies specialized steel to India, particularly for industries like automotive and machinery manufacturing.

Indian Steel Imports Data: An Analysis

Analyzing steel import data reveals valuable insights into the trends and dynamics of India's steel sector. According to recent reports, India imported approximately 6 million metric tons of steel during the last financial year. The demand for steel imports is primarily driven by sectors such as infrastructure, construction, defence, and automotive industries.

The most significant category of steel imported by India includes finished steel products, semi-finished steel, and flat-rolled products. A substantial share of these imports comes from countries with advanced steel manufacturing industries. A review of Indian steel imports data also highlights a fluctuation in imports based on changes in government policies, global steel prices, and the growing domestic production of steel.

In recent years, the Indian government has introduced measures like imposing anti-dumping duties and other tariffs on imported steel to protect domestic manufacturers from cheap imports. However, the demand for certain types of steel that cannot be produced locally continues to drive imports.

Top 10 Steel Importing Countries

While India is a notable steel importer, it is far from being the largest globally. The following list shows the top 10 steel importing countries, driven by their industrial demand:

United States

The US is the largest steel importer globally. Despite having a significant domestic steel industry, the country relies on imports for various types of steel used in construction, automotive, and manufacturing sectors.

Germany

Germany imports substantial amounts of steel, mainly for its robust manufacturing sector, which includes automotive and heavy machinery industries.

China

Although China is the largest steel producer, it also imports steel, especially raw materials and semi-finished steel products, to meet its domestic and export demands.

South Korea

As a global leader in technology and heavy industries, South Korea imports steel to support its manufacturing sector, which includes shipbuilding and automotive industries.

Italy

Italy is a major importer of steel, with a heavy demand from its industrial and construction sectors. It imports various steel grades to meet the requirements of its manufacturing sector.

Mexico

Mexico imports significant amounts of steel, primarily for use in its booming automotive and construction industries, which contribute to its strong export economy.

Turkey

Turkey imports a large volume of steel for its construction and infrastructure projects, making it one of the largest steel importers in the region.

Vietnam

Vietnam's rapidly growing construction and manufacturing sectors drive its steel imports, positioning it as a key player in the global steel market.

Thailand

Thailand imports steel to support its industrial and construction sectors, contributing to its growing economy.

    10. France

France imports steel to meet the needs of its automotive, aerospace, and construction industries, making it a major importer in Europe.

Conclusion

Steel imports are critical to India's industrial growth, complementing domestic production and filling the gaps in demand for specialized steel types. While India aims to strengthen its steel manufacturing capabilities, imports remain essential for meeting the specific needs of high-growth sectors like the construction, defence, and automotive industries. Countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea play a vital role in supplying India with steel, and analyzing steel import data helps shed light on key trends and patterns. On the global stage, countries like the United States, Germany, and China are the largest steel importers, reflecting the dynamic nature of global steel trade. However, if you need steel import data, steel HS code, or global trade data, you can connect with import and export data provider platforms like Seair Exim Solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Why does India import steel despite being a large producer?

India imports steel to meet the demand for high-quality and specialized steel types that are not produced in sufficient quantities domestically, such as those used in the automotive and defense sectors.

Q2. Which countries are the largest steel exporters to India?

The largest steel exporters to India include China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and Germany.

Q3. How much steel does India import annually?

India imports approximately 6 million metric tons of steel annually, depending on factors such as domestic demand, global steel prices, and government policies.

Q4. What types of steel does India import the most?

India primarily imports finished steel products, semi-finished steel, and flat-rolled products, which are used in various industrial sectors.

Q5. What measures has the Indian government taken to reduce steel imports?

The Indian government has implemented anti-dumping duties, tariffs, and other measures to protect domestic steel manufacturers and reduce their reliance on imports.

Also Read:

The Rising Significance of the Export of Steel from India

Post By:

Seair Exim Solutions Phone No.: 099900 20716 Address: B1/E3 Mohan Cooperative Industrial Estate Near Mohan Estate Metro Station Opposite Metro Pillar No:-336, NH-19, New Delhi, Delhi 110044

[reasonsforhope]

"India’s announcement that it aims to reach net zero emissions by 2070 and to meet fifty percent of its electricity requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030 is a hugely significant moment for the global fight against climate change. India is pioneering a new model of economic development that could avoid the carbon-intensive approaches that many countries have pursued in the past – and provide a blueprint for other developing economies.

The scale of transformation in India is stunning. Its economic growth has been among the highest in the world over the past two decades, lifting of millions of people out of poverty. Every year, India adds a city the size of London to its urban population, involving vast construction of new buildings, factories and transportation networks. Coal and oil have so far served as bedrocks of India’s industrial growth and modernisation, giving a rising number of Indian people access to modern energy services. This includes adding new electricity connections for 50 million citizens each year over the past decade. 

The rapid growth in fossil energy consumption has also meant India’s annual CO2 emissions have risen to become the third highest in the world. However, India’s CO2 emissions per person put it near the bottom of the world’s emitters, and they are lower still if you consider historical emissions per person. The same is true of energy consumption: the average household in India consumes a tenth as much electricity as the average household in the United States.  

India’s sheer size and its huge scope for growth means that its energy demand is set to grow by more than that of any other country in the coming decades. In a pathway to net zero emissions by 2070, we estimate that most of the growth in energy demand this decade would already have to be met with low-carbon energy sources. It therefore makes sense that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced more ambitious targets for 2030, including installing 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity, reducing the emissions intensity of its economy by 45%, and reducing a billion tonnes of CO2. 

These targets are formidable, but the good news is that the clean energy transition in India is already well underway. It has overachieved its commitment made at COP 21- Paris Summit [a.k.a. 2015, at the same conference that produced the Paris Agreement] by already meeting 40% of its power capacity from non-fossil fuels- almost nine years ahead of its commitment, and the share of solar and wind in India’s energy mix have grown phenomenally. Owing to technological developments, steady policy support, and a vibrant private sector, solar power plants are cheaper to build than coal ones. Renewable electricity is growing at a faster rate in India than any other major economy, with new capacity additions on track to double by 2026...

Subsidies for petrol and diesel were removed in the early 2010s, and subsidies for electric vehicles were introduced in 2019. India’s robust energy efficiency programme has been successful in reducing energy use and emissions from buildings, transport and major industries. Government efforts to provide millions of households with fuel gas for cooking and heating are enabling a steady transition away from the use of traditional biomass such as burning wood. India is also laying the groundwork to scale up important emerging technologies such as hydrogen, battery storage, and low-carbon steel, cement and fertilisers..."

-via IEA (International Energy Agency), January 10, 2022

Note: And since that's a little old, here's an update to show that progress is still going strong:

-via Economic Times: EnergyWorld, March 10, 2023

[genericpuff]

I was born/raised in America but culturally I’m Trinidadian! Trinidad is a very tiny island in the Caribbean with a huge oil industry 🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹

Our language is english (we only got independence from the British in 1962 rip) but a lot of our television is in Spanish bc we’re so close to Venezuela to the point where you could see it from the island (and my grandparents used to take a small boat there to do shopping XDDD)

Our food is a hodgepodge of lots of different cultures, primarily Indian and African (tho idk specific countries). We also invented the steel pan and have Carnival and Borough Day, two HUGE celebrations

Nicki Minaj is from there and I think Cardi B’s mom?

We have a couple legends and myths:

La Diablesse is a woman who walks at the side of the road at night, her human foot on the pavement and her hoof in the grass, and lures men into the forest (tho only unfaithful men are enchanted by her and follow). Then she disappears and they basically run around lost until they meet their demise

Douens are spirits of children who died before baptism. Their feet are backwards, and if they hear a child’s name, they call it, luring the kid into the forest. Very mischievous and they wear large hats that cover their face, or well a lack therof XDDD

When it comes to myths, we have this thing called “Maljo”. Caused by envy but the way I always knew it was like if you excessively compliment something then you accidentally inflict that thing with Maljo, basically cursing it. My mom had a type of beaded bracelet around her wrist when she was little to sorta ward it off

Lastly, this isn’t common anymore, but my grandparents’ generation has two names. Their public name and the actual name they have which is used at home iirc. It’s like this so it’s harder for ppl with bad intentions to curse you as they only have your public name, not your real one

We have more, all of which are a mix of the different cultures that were brought or came here, but these are the ones I grew up hearing about most and this is already too long so XDDD

I’m always excited to talk abt my culture, so thank the asker for suggesting this and you for indulging! I love your posts !!!🧡🧡🧡

ahh so many facts about Trinidad, thank you!!! <3 The custom of carrying two names as a way to prevent curses is very clever. We sort of have something like that in some (*not all afaik) Indigenous cultures here in Canada, where you have the name you're known by to friends and family, but you can also have a spirit name that follows you from life to life, and this name is typically something that has to come to you as a sort of 'reminder' of your past lives, if that makes sense (i.e. it's not something you can willingly choose or be given). AFAIK tho it doesn't prevent curses LOL but that's another fun fact I was reminded of reading this in exchange for a lot of great ones, tysm again!!!

Also La Diablesse and Douens sound delightfully terrifying ╭( ･ㅂ･)و

[explosionshark]

2, 3, 9!

2. Did you reread anything? What?

I actually did reread a lot this year (for me)

The Priory of the Orange by Samantha Shannon - I reread this as a buddy read with my homie @nataliving who hadn't read it before. It was fun going back after reading A Day of Fallen Night last year. I think overall Priory on a second run meant the pacing issues stuck out to me more, but I was delighted to find that my favorite parts of the book still held up really well.

A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny - reread this advent calendar style for the second year in a row. This time got @holdsteady to join me. Super fun, highly recommend this for anyone who wants to read something Halloweeny and fun next October.

Stranger Things Happen and Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link - this was a big Kelly Link year for me. I re-read these two short story collections as well as reading her other two collections for the first time. I'm basically caught up except for The Book of Love. Anyway - there were a few stories in Stranger Things Happen that I really liked, but overall Magic for Beginners hit way better for me

The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman - reread this in anticipation of the prequel, The Daughters War, being released. Probably the first book I've ever genuinely been able to call a comfort read. Loved it even more on a re-read.

Whipping Girl by Julia Serano - re-read this when the new edition came out. As vital as ever, able to present things in a very approachable way, it's a foundational and highly recommended intro to transfeminism for a reason, I think everyone should read it at least once.

The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik - also reread this with @nataliving. It's my favorite Scholomance book, I wanted to be keeping pace with them while they got to all my favorite parts. Super fun to buddy-read this, I truly love this book.

3. What were your top five books of the year?

okay not counting re-reads

Penance by Eliza Clark - this is a fake true crime book. a book about toxic relationships between girls, a book about true crime fandom, a book about the true crime industry, a book about bias and journalistic ethics and perhaps most importantly a book about TUMBLR a decade ago. Also the most brutal and realistic portrayal of bullying between girls i've ever read. Could NOT put this down.

A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan - another book in the world of the Covenant of Steel series, which I read and loved last year. Just really good fantasy, I've become such a fan of Anthony Ryan. Love how he writes women and gay people and magic and sword fights! Been patiently working my way through his books, waiting for when I'd get a queer woman out of him and the answer is NOW! Thera, my hyper-competent bisexual viking babe. Love of my life.

The Daughters' War by Christopher Buehlman - as mentioned above I really loved The Blacktongue Thief. My main critique when I first read it was that I wish it had more Galva and then BAM Buehlman announces a prequel from Galva's POV. It's basically a war memoir, Buehlman really gets to show off his horror chops here, which is always a plus for me. Loved it, read it once on audio and then again in print, both versions are great but the narrator was really strong, added a lot.

The Jasmine Throne and The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri - okay counting these as one entry bc they're part of the same series and I read them pretty close together. EXTREMELY COOL FANTASY SETTING. Indian-inspired, cool mythology, cool magic, lots of intrigue and court politics and some of the best women-vs-misogyny i've ever read in a fantasy book. ALSO a lovers-to-enemies lesbian relationship that made me fully feral. Some of the best pacing I've ever read in 500 - 600 page books, absolutely propulsive, literally no part of these books dragged for me which is WILD.

White Cat, Black Dog by Kelly Link - as mentioned above, it's a big Kelly Link year for me! White Cat, Black Dog might be the strongest collection I read from her this year. There was only one story I didn't really care for. Link is so incredibly talented - her style is so whimsical, but there's always this brilliant, vulnerable emotional honesty to her work. Look, I won't lie, sometimes she's a little hard to follow and I can't say I understand everything I read from her but the way I don't get it STILL feels satisfying somehow. It's a good tension! If you're interested in trying a story from this collection, you can read one of my favorites, The Girl Who Didn't Know Fear for free via Tin House

9. Did you get into any new genres?

Not really! Okay, wait, no, that's a lie. I read some history this year, which I don't usually do. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, The Wager by David Grann, The Medici by Paul Strathern. Cool, interesting stuff! Good texture for my reading list!

[urbanrelics]

TRAINWORKS

The history of the Liège steel industry goes back further than the birth of Belgium in 1830. In 1817, the Englishman John Cockerill founded his first steelworks in Seraing to produce the steel for his looms. In the following decades, the steel industry develops to its peak, until it takes its first hits in the early 1980s. The majority of the steel activity in Liège and Charleroi is then brought together in Cockerill Sambre. Several blast furnaces, coking plants, coal mines, hot and cold rolling mills, factories for processing blast furnace slag,... dominated the Walloon economy for almost 200 years.

Various mergers and acquisitions attempted to revive the declining steel industry. When the Indian steel giant Mittal came on the scene in 2006 and took over Arcelor to form ArcelorMittal, the end was near. Numerous layoffs and austerity measures followed, much to the dismay of workers and unions. In 2013, after years of social unrest and negotiations, the curtain finally fell on the Liège steel industry. Some companies are still being placed "under cocoon", with the prospect of a potential restart, which unfortunately never comes...

This site contains the administrative buildings, where the main administration of the steel company was located. The main building still contains a number of beautifully dilapidated offices and archives.

Apart from the administrative wing, there is also a large part of the site where there is a workshop where the company's trains were maintained and repaired. This part was mostly emptied.

[kaylapocalypse]

Also I saw your other ask about adam mine and the corruption of hollis brown, and is there anything you can tell us about them? (if you want to of course) I tried finding a synopsis of the corruption of hollis brown but couldn't find it

-indian anon

Yes!

The Corruption of Hollis Brown is about a kid who lives in a severely impoverished American Industry town (a town built around one industry like steel or beef or something, where if the company that owns the industry leaves everyone who lives there is fucked) whose factory shut down decades ago.

He and most people he knows travel really far for work and most kids can't afford college. Its an extremely hopeless situation and he deals with his angst about this by getting into fights with other kids at school (not bullying, he goads them until they beat him up. Very Self Harm)

One day he meets a guy who it turns out is actually just a ghost possessing a dead body and he stupidly makes a deal with the ghost, who immediately possesses him.

But the situation here is kind of complex because:

The deal he made with the ghost is about how he can share his body if the ghost makes his life better.

The ghost is ACTIVELY trying to make his life better (and succeeding!!)

Hollis Brown is an absolute freak who starts getting sexually attracted to the ghost and begins a campaign to seduce him (much to the ghost's horror)

Eventually they work things out and are in * love *, but Hollis's friends are starting to notice that there's something off about him.

-----

Adam Mine is a retelling-ish of Frankenstein in which a teenage Victor can't actually figure out how to reanimate a corpse and instead kidnaps a local townsperson, desecrates his body and passes it off to his friends as a reanimation.

Eventually the guy wakes up mid-surgery and freaks out. Then, furious about what Victor did to him (he's cut all over and also burned bc Victor set him on fire trying to escape) he decides to make it his life mission to hunt victor down and kill him.

There's a lot more to it with Alchemists and magic, but the gist of it is a pretty standard dual POV road trip where Victor is running away from this guy at top speed and the guy is Right Behind Him so insanely angry like "So help me god, When I catch you I will taste your blood."

Anyway, the whole thing is about how Victor learns about Consent and Not Being Terrible and the guy learns about Please Calm Down, Victor is a Teenager and also It Was Bad To Murder His Family, just in time for them to almost kind of sort of fall in love in the end.

[justforbooks]

Ratan Tata

Indian business tycoon who turned his family’s Tata Group into a global player, and invested heavily in British industry

Ratan Tata, who has died aged 86, was India’s most celebrated industrialist. He modernised the unwieldy business empire founded by his great grandfather in the 19th century and internationalised it. In the process he spread his interests into western countries, with mixed results.

For the UK, that included the £271m purchase of the Tetley Group in 2000, followed more controversially by the acquisition of the steel company Corus for £6.2bn in 2007. Then, in 2008, Tata, himself a car enthusiast, added the troubled Jaguar Land Rover motor business for a further £1.75bn.

He joined the family firm, Tata Steel, in 1962. Educated in the US, and newly qualified as an architect, the young Tata had, he said, no intention of returning to India. But family ties won out. When his ailing grandmother, Navajbai, who had raised him, asked him to return he did so. He was soon promoted, building his reputation with tough reorganisation, followed by more troubleshooting at the electronics and textile companies.

In 1981, he was made chairman of Tata Industries, and found himself confronting an assortment of separate businesses, with different ownership patterns over which there was little formal control. He made a blueprint for reorganisation, having spent time at the Harvard Business School, but it was rejected after opposition from semi-autonomous bosses.

However, in 1991, the 81-year-old patriarch of the group, JRD Tata, chose him as his successor as the overall chairman. Asked why, he replied: “He has a modern mind.”

Tata soon demonstrated it with a tough programme of reshaping that, against continuing opposition, brought closures, job reductions, and the departure of the heads of the steel, hotel and chemical businesses.

He began to focus more on brands and less on heavy industry, and he benefited from the deregulation of Indian industry championed by Rajiv Gandhi. As part of it, he took the company more heavily into the motor industry. Tata lorries already dominated Indian highways, but now he moved into the car business in line with his own enthusiasms. While always seen as a man of modest habits, he had his own lovingly maintained collection of high-powered and classic cars, and delighted in driving them along Mumbai’s Marine Drive most Sundays.

Tata produced what was called “the first Indian car”, designed by and for Indians, in 1998. Ratan did some of the first drawings himself. The Tata Indica was a success. But when he went further a decade later, and the company conceived the Nano, a tiny saloon described as the world’s most affordable car at a price of about £2,000, the project failed. Such a cheap car was not enticing even to those “on two wheels” whom he hoped to attract.

In 1999 Tata had travelled to Detroit to discuss the sale of the motor business to Ford, only to be asked why his firm had gone into the passenger car business when it clearly knew nothing about it. Later he would turn the tables, buying underperforming Jaguar Land Rover from Ford and reviving it.

With sell-offs and cutbacks, Tata reorganised the group into 98 operating companies from more than 250, reducing the labour force by more than a third. He forged alliances with foreign companies and went into information technology.

He stepped down in 2012, observing the compulsory retirement rule he had himself introduced, but was still regarded as “chairman emeritus” and was brought back unhappily for a few months when his successor was sacked four years later.

His most shocking day came in 2008, when terrorists took over the Tatas’ Taj Mahal hotel on the front at Mumbai with great loss of life. The company has continued to support staff affected and the families of those who died.

Ratan was born in Mumbai, into the large Parsi Tata family, whose wealth came from a scattered collection of businesses including textiles, hotels, engineering, steel and tea. His father, Naval, had been adopted by the son of the founder, Jamsetji Tata. After Naval and his wife, Soonoo, separated when Ratan was seven, the child was brought up with his younger brother, Jimmy, by his grandmother in a grand Tata mansion in central Mumbai.

Aged 17 he was sent to the US to attend Riverdale Country school in New York City, from where he entered Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He studied engineering before switching to architecture, graduating in 1959. He worked as an architect for a while in Los Angeles before returning to India, and Tata Steel.

In his 20 years at the helm, Tata’s sales grew by 22% annually and its international revenues rose from a quarter to 58% of the total, while Tata Consultancy Services became Asia’s largest software company.

His British investments have been among his less successful. Corus was bought for an over-the-top £6bn just before the global financial crash devastated the industry. Tata claimed it as “the first big step that Indian industry has taken as a global player”. It was later described by a senior Tata executive as “worthless”. The firm is currently negotiating terms of new investment at Port Talbot, which would be accompanied by hundreds of redundancies, while huge plants on Teesside and Scunthorpe have already been closed or sold for a nominal sum.

Jaguar Land Rover was initially a happier story. Tata’s major investment, including in research and development, made the company for a while the largest foreign investor in British industry. But eight years of profits have been followed by losses since 2018.

Surveying the British scene in 2011, Tata told the Times: “Nobody seems to want to exert the effort to make the UK truly competitive. It’s a work ethic issue. In my experience in both Corus and JLR, nobody is willing to go the extra mile.”

He was a major figure in the international business community, close to US politicians as well as the Indian government, advising the former prime ministers Gordon Brown and David Cameron, and sitting on the boards of multinational institutions.

He was also known as a major philanthropist. Many of the Tata companies were owned through trusts he chaired, and huge sums were provided for medical research and university projects both in India and abroad, particularly in the US, where a number of campuses have buildings bearing his name.

A softly spoken man, renowned for his courtesy, he never married, although he described himself as having come close four times. He was known for living modestly, although his recreations included flying his private jet and driving his collection of expensive cars, as well as a speedboat. He was noted for his love of dogs. The Tata headquarters in Mumbai had kennels and made provision for street dogs, and he was a donor to canine charities. In 2014 he was made GBE.

He is survived by Jimmy, by his stepmother, Simone, a half brother, Noel, and two half sisters, Shireen and Deanna.

🔔 Ratan Tata, businessman, born 28 December 1937; died 9 October 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[townpostin]

Tata Steel Unveils Ambitious Expansion Plan for India

Steel Giant Aims to Double Domestic Capacity While Focusing on Sustainability Tata Steel’s growth strategy targets 40 MTPA production in India, emphasizing eco-friendly practices and supporting affected UK workers. JAMSHEDPUR – Tata Steel announced plans to double its manufacturing capacity in India to approximately 40 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), signaling a major shift in its global…

[thozhar]

Gulf migration is not just a major phenomenon in Kerala; north Indian states also see massive migration to the Gulf. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar accounted for the biggest share (30% and 15%) of all Indian workers migrating to GCC1 countries in 2016-17 (Khan 2023)—a trend which continues today. Remittances from the Gulf have brought about significant growth in Bihar’s economy (Khan 2023)—as part of a migrant’s family, I have observed a tangible shift in the quality of life, education, houses, and so on, in Siwan. In Bihar, three districts—Siwan, Gopalganj, and Chapra—send the majority of Gulf migrants from the state, mostly for manual labor (Khan 2023). Bihar also sees internal migration of daily wagers to Delhi, Bombay, and other parts of India. Gulf migration from India’s northern regions, like elsewhere in India, began after the oil boom in the 1970s. Before this time, migration was limited to a few places such as Assam, Calcutta, Bokaro, and Barauni—my own grandfather worked in the Bokaro steel factory.

Despite the role of Gulf migration and internal migration in north Indian regions, we see a representational void in popular culture. Bollywood films on migration largely use rural settings, focussing on people who work in the USA, Europe, or Canada. The narratives centre these migrants’ love for the land and use dialogue such as ‘mitti ki khusbu‘ (fragrance of homeland). Few Bollywood films, like Dor and Silvat, portray internal migration and Gulf migration. While Bollywood films frequently centre diasporic experiences such as Gujaratis in the USA and Punjabis in Canada, they fail in portraying Bihari migrants, be they indentured labourers in the diaspora, daily wagers in Bengal, or Gulf migrants. The regional Bhojpuri film industry fares no better in this regard. ‘A good chunk of the budget is spent on songs since Bhojpuri songs have an even larger viewership that goes beyond the Bhojpuri-speaking public’, notes Ahmed (2022), marking a context where there is little purchase for Gulf migration to be used as a reference to narrate human stories of longing, sacrifice, and family.

One reason for this biased representation of migration is that we see ‘migration’ as a monolith. In academic discourse, too, migration is often depicted as a commonplace phenomenon, but I believe it is crucial to make nuanced distinctions in the usage of the terms ‘migration’ and ‘migrant’. The term ‘migration’ is a broad umbrella term that may oversimplify the diverse experiences within this category. My specific concern is about Gulf migrants, as their migration often occurs under challenging circumstances. For individuals from my region, heading to the Gulf is typically a last resort. This kind of migration leads to many difficulties, especially when it distances migrants from their family for much of their lifetime. The term ‘migration’, therefore, inadequately captures the profound differences between, for instance, migrating to the USA for educational purposes and migrating to the Gulf for labour jobs. Bihar has a rich history of migration, dating back to the era of indentured labor known as girmitiya. Following the abolition of slavery in 1883, colonial powers engaged in the recruitment of laborers for their other colonies through agreements (Jha 2019). Girmitiya distinguishes itself from the migration. People who are going to the Arabian Gulf as blue-collar labourers are also called ‘Gulf migrants’—a term that erases how their conditions are very close to slavery. This is why, as a son who rarely saw his father, I prefer to call myself a ‘victim of migration’ rather than just a ‘part of migration’. It is this sense of victimhood and lack of control over one’s life that I saw missing in Bollywood and Bhojpuri cinema.

— Watching 'Malabari Films' in Bihar: Gulf Migration and Transregional Connections

[manilaxmiindustrial]

Carbon Pipe Fittings : Astm A234 WPB Pipe Fittings Manufacturers

Introduction:

ASTM A234 WPB pipe fittings, also known as carbon steel pipe fittings, have largely become standard parts in many industries. The fitting elements will be used to adapt straight pipe or tubing sections, to maintain different size or shape, and to control the rate of flow of liquids.

Always resistant to strength and versatile, ASTM A234 WPB fittings play a critical role in industries dealing with oil, gas, petrochemicals, and power generation.

What are ASTM A234 WPB Pipe Fittings?

They are used to connect pipes in shapes such as elbows, tees, reducers, and caps. The prime factors that make the use of these fittings highly prevalent are their excellent mechanical properties, like high tensile strength and resistance to corrosion. They are very important in ensuring the integrity and efficiency of piping systems across industries.

Manilaxmi Industrial also supplies Carbon ASTM Pipe Fittings around the globe.

Real-Time Advancements in Industries

Ranging from new manufacturing technologies and materials science to improved performance and reliability, these fittings have carved out a niche in use. Applications of the ASTM A234 WPB carbon steel pipe fitting have greatly improved in the industrial sector.For example, refined heat treatment processes leave behind fittings that are easier to manipulate and work under higher pressure and temperature conditions.

Besides, numerous coating and lining innovations provide improved corrosion resistance and give extended life expectancy.

Manilaxmi Industrial the Indian manufacturers, suppliers, and exporters have been among the most active adopters of these developments to ensure that the country is retained as a main supplier of quality pipe fittings in the global market.

Technology and Need in Various Countries

Demands for ASTM A234 WPB carbon steel pipe fittings are ever-increasing in the global scenario. This demand has been hastened further by the requirement of strong, efficient piping systems in the developing countries and renovated or rejuvenated ones in the developed nations.

Such as setting up power plants and oil refineries. In contrast, developed nations always require update works and servicing of already existing facilities. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology in the manufacturing process, these fittings comply with strict standards that make them very important and cardinal for maintaining efficiency and safety during industrial operations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, ASTM A234 WPB pipe fittings are the most essential material in the industrial market, possessing qualities of high durability, adaptability, and tolerance toward extreme situations. With relentless development in the manufacturing technologies, further improvements are made in their performances, making them trustworthy for different applications.

[vlad-theimplier]

WIP Wednesday: Custos Custodium

In which Jensen and the Task Force take on Sheppard in Dubai. I rearranged some lines to give a bit of characterization to anyone but Jensen and MacReady (who have plenty), and to make the tactical briefing a little meatier. Apparently, one of the divergence points between our world and the world of Deus Ex is that 10mm caught on over 9mm, but we know NATO exists and still prefers its familiar cartridges.

Anyway, Jensen does actually like some of his coworkers. Read all about it at https://archiveofourown.org/works/55686901/chapters/141357007

“Listen up, all of you!” Miller said in commanding tones. “We’ve finally got a lead on this man, an arms dealer goes by Sheppard.”

Jensen’s eyes widened behind his shades as the name registered with him. This was the bastard who’d escaped their grasp in Detroit—he damn well wasn’t getting away this time. John “Sheppard” Trent, 42, looked the way he remembered from Detroit, anonymous but mean. And as if Jensen needed another bone to pick with the man, Miller added a nugget of new intel: “He’s ex-Belltower. One of the Special Forces commanders who disappeared during the Incident.”

“And he’s come out of hiding?” MacReady asked. “That cannot be good.”

“It’s not. He’s selling weapons and military-grade augments to terrorists.” Miller swiped at the screen to reveal an Indian man with swept-back hair, stubble, and a haunted look around the eyes. “This is Arun Singh, the undercover agent who lured Sheppard out of his hole. Best UC Interpol’s got. For three years he’s worked to get us in tight with the Jinn, an Iraqi smuggling cartel that’s infected the Eastern Hemisphere like a plague. Last week, our arms dealer sent a message to the Jinn, offering to sell them a shit-load of black-market merchandise dirt cheap. They told Singh to handle the buy.”

A woman’s voice came over comms in a German accent, overriding MacReady’s scoff. “They’re not going to like it when Interpol disrupts their party. Is Singh’s cover really that good?” Dietrich, Jensen realized, looking at the screen. And she was worried about the right things.

“It is right now,” Miller answered. “We need to keep it that way.” He swiped again at the screen to show a sprawling but incomplete edifice, jutting out of the sea in graceful curves of steel and white concrete marred by tarps and scaffolding. An inset proclaimed it the “Desert Jewel.” “This is where the deal’s going down: a half-finished high-rise hotel that’s been abandoned ever since the incident. It is not a pretty picture inside.”

“Let me guess.” MacReady, of course. Mouthy bastard. “Most of the laborers were augmented with heavy-duty industrial rigs. So when the Incident hit and they all went schizo, things got gruesome real fast.” He stared at Jensen. Jensen stared back, curling his lip deliberately.

Miller nodded. “And no one except for some homeless junkies has been inside the place ever since.”

“So what’s the plan, Director?” Jensen asked.

“Singh’s meeting Sheppard on the ground floor, inside the hotel’s main atrium. He’s sent the bulk of his Jinn crew to the penthouse levels to secure a vantage point. I want MacReady’s team to take up positions overlooking the atrium and make the arrest. Dietrich, put the SAW and the marksmen on this little artificial island section here, across the lagoon from the atrium, where you can suppress and snipe as needed. Frost, you’re in reserve, up on the roof just back from the atrium. Rig ropes for descent. Jensen, you’re going in solo from the penthouse.”

Suited him fine. “My objectives?”

“Keep the Jinn from joining the party. As far as we can tell, only one route connects the atrium to the penthouse level—a halfway-decent elevator shaft here.” Miller swiped again, and a wireframe schematic popped up insertion points and the elevator in question. “I want you to block access to it.”

“Fine. Just cut me loose. If anyone spots me… I assume non-lethal is preferred? Doubt I’ll have time to cuff ’em, but Singh’s cover will be stronger if he’s not the only one still breathing when this is done.”

Miller nodded approvingly, but MacReady couldn’t resist a jab. “And if anything does happen to him, you’ll be the one telling his wife. After you get out of the hospital, of course.”

Jensen ignored him. So did Miller. “One last thing,” he said. “Singh told us the Jinn are using some kind of portable wi-fi device to boost communications. It could pick up anything he sends our way. He’s got a better chance of maintaining cover if you disable it, but if it comes to it, your number one priority is keeping the Jinn out of that atrium.”

“I’ll keep an eye out.”

“Good. Any questions?”

Lieutenant Frost chimed in. “Sir. Director. Why is this our op? Not that I mind—we’re all itching to mix it up—but Station Muscat is practically next-door.”

“Muscat’s resources are occupied elsewhere. We were the closest station with the manpower for an op this size. We did get the intel on this mission at the very last minute, no fault of Singh’s, so we���re all scrambling a little. Sheppard has stayed ahead of the Task Force for so long by pulling exactly this kind of stunt, on the rare occasions he shows his face at all. It’s our job to make sure it doesn’t work this time.”

“Aye aye, sir.” Frost took the answer as the gentle reprimand it was meant to be, and Jensen once again admired Miller’s leadership acumen. There were no further questions. The agents and soldiers turned to the briefing screens and reviewed the scant intelligence they’d received, or busied themselves checking their weapons and armor, as the trio of VTOLs sped onwards.

According to the map, they were coming in over the Persian Gulf a few hours later when Miller spoke up once more: “Ears here.” He checked the screen to make sure the other two teams were looking. “A new wrinkle has arisen to keep us on our toes. Sandstorm coming up out of the southwest, straight from the desert. It’ll be barreling down our asses—we can’t afford to make mistakes. Our pilots will keep us up-to-date on the storm’s progress. The window’s tight, but all signs indicate the deal is on. As you were.”

Silence descended once more. The indicators for their birds crept towards Dubai. Around Jensen, the agents began rechecking their rifles and donning their helmets. He gave his own weapons a perfunctory once-over, then rolled his shoulders and wrists. He crossed his left arm over his chest, running his blades out at the wrist and elbow, slow, then lightning fast. The myomer and servos whined quietly, just audible over the rush of wind and engine.

MacReady leaned forward. “Not gonna go all wonky on us now, Hanzer, are ya?”

“Why? You want to put a control chip in me? Don’t worry, I’m in spec.” Jensen locked eyes with him and bent his right hand almost to his right shoulder. His blade flicked out halfway, the tip coming to rest against his temple without even dimpling the flesh. Then, slowly, he pointed the blade at MacReady, giving him a chance to flinch or hold up a hand, to show fear.

“But if I do lose it, I guarantee you’ll never see it coming.” And he snicked the blade out to its full extension against the shoulder of MacReady’s combat vest. The alloy rang quietly on the ceramic plates, but MacReady didn’t move. Every eye turned to look at them, including Miller’s. Jensen withdrew the blade.

“Agent Jensen! Am I gonna have a problem with you on this op?”

“Nossir. MacReady just had some questions about my capabilities.” He met Miller’s gaze through his shades, deferential but uncowed, letting the double meaning hang in the air.

“Good. Because you’re our only Aug, and our only infiltration specialist. I intend to make good use of you.” That last was delivered as much to MacReady as to him, Jensen thought.

Miller resumed reassembling his rifle, ramming home a magazine of 7.62 NATO. Jensen grimaced. He supposed the AIC didn’t plan on getting tied down in a firefight, and Dietrich’s heavy gunner could always share, but it bothered him that their commander might find himself running dry in a pinch. At least the sidearm he wore was a ten-mil like everyone else’s. Not that Jensen had an augmented leg to stand on: no one else on the op—hell, probably no other agent in the hemisphere—carried a forty-five, but he could jam nine-mil into the Destrier in a pinch. Still, if they’d had time to actually plan this mission, they could’ve optimized logistics a little better. Or at all.

Chikane broke in on his maundering. “Time to put away your happy thoughts, gentlemen. We’re approaching the target.” The team was one-third women; Agent Montañez—Carmen—rolled her eyes. Jensen met them and twitched his hand by his crotch in a subtle jerk-off gesture. She hid a smirk behind her gloved hand.

Fortunately, Miller missed the byplay this time. “You’re up first, Jensen. Let’s do this.”

The pilot opened the team circuit as Jensen stood. “Strike-One, Strike-Two, this is Strike Leader. Engage hush drives and descend to angels one-five.” The VTOL quieted, slowed, and dropped in the sky. Jensen rode the change in altitude effortlessly. He thought about telling Chikane he flew like someone’s grandmother, but Malik wasn’t there to laugh.

The cargo ramp descended, and the jump lights came on red. Jensen rolled his shoulders. They were low—less than two thousand feet, for sure. He’d told Miller about the Icarus, of course, but he might have played up his skydiving “experience” a little. Well, too late now. Green lights and a tone. He stepped forward and leapt into the sky.

[dailyanarchistposts]

Justice to every man Free of cost, be the High or low, rich or poor. Equal real opportunity to every man, be he high or low, rich or poor.

An organ of the Revolutionary Party of India, 1st Jan., 1925,

Vol. I

(Every honest Indian should read the whole of it and circulate it among his friends.)

Manifesto of Revolutionary Party of India

“CHAOS IS NECESSARY TO THE BIRTH OF A NEW star.”’ And the birth, and is passing through that inevitable chaos and agony. Indians shall play their destined role, when all calculations shall prove futile, when the wise and the mighty shall be bewildered by the simple and the week, when great empires shall crumble down and new nations shall arise and surprise humanity with the splendour and glory which shall be all its own.

This new power, which is shaking the world from its very depths, this new spirit which is working miracles behind the scene, is also manifesting itself in the young blood of India and is taking the shape of a movement which is despised and ignored by the wise and the learned, and is being described as the wild dreams of a few mad men. This remarkable movement is the revolutionary movement in young India. The revolutionary movement has unnerved the weak, has inspired the robust and healthy, and has confounded the worldly wise and the learned. This movement can never be crushed just as much as the coming of the spring can never be thwarted. It will never die out until it has fulfilled the mission for which it has taken its birth. Tyrants will oppress it, the faithless will taunt at it, and the confounded will denounce it, but thoughts and ideas can never be crushed by the sword, and the noble impulse that has taken birth in the very depths of out being can never be ignored, nor taunted.

This revolutionary movement is the manifestation of the new life that has taken birth in the Nation. To denounce this life is to denounce one’s own understanding.

Twenty years of ruthless repression has not been able to crush it. Scathing denunciation by the renowned public leaders has not been able to arrest its steady growth. The movement stands mightier today than what it was before. The prospects of this revolutionary party were never so bright as they are today. This future is assured.

Let no Indian deny the existence of this revolutionary party in order to denounce the repressive measures of the foreign rulers. The foreigners have no right to rule over India and therefore they must be denounced and driven out. Not that they have committed any particular act of violence or crime. There are the natural consequences of a foreign rule. This foreign rule must be abolished. They have no justification to rule over India except the justification of sword and therefore the revolutionary party had taken to the sword. But the sword of the revolutionary party bears ideas at its edge.

The immediate object of the revolutionary party in the domain of politics is to establish a federal Republic of United State of India by an organized and armed revolution. The final constitution of this Republic shall be framed and declared at a time when the representatives of India shall have the power to carry out their decision. But the basic principles of this Republic will be universal sufferege and abolition of all system which make the exploitation of man by man possible, e.g. the railways and other means of transportation and communication, the mines and other kinds of very great industries such as the manufacture of steel and ships all these shall be nationalised. In this Republic the electors shall have the right to recall their representatives, if so desired, otherwise the democracy shall become a mockery. In this Republic, the legislature shall have the power to control the executives and replace them whenever necessity will arise.

The revolutionary party is not national but international in the sense that its ultimate object is to bring harmony in the world by respecting and guaranteeing the diverse interests of the different nations. It aims not at cooperation between the different nations and states and in this respect it follows the footsteps of great Indian Rishis of the glorious past and of Bolshevik Russia in the modern age. Good for humanity is no vain and empty word with the Indian revolutionaries. But the weak, the coward and the powerless can do no good either to themselves or to humanity.

With regard to the communal question, the revolutionary party contemplates to grant whatever rights the different communities ma demand, provided they do not clash with the interests o other communities and they lead ultimately to hearty and organic union in different communities in the near future.

In the domain of economic and social welfare the party will foster the spirit of cooperation on as large a scale as possible. Instead of private and unorganised business enterprises, the party prefers cooperative union.

In the spiritual domain the party aims at establishing the truth and preaching it that the world in not Maya, an illusion to be ignored and despised at, but that it is the manifestation of the one individual soul, the supreme source of all power, all knowledge and all beauty.

The revolutionary party has its own policy and its own programme. It cannot for obvious reasons divulge all its secrets. But when it will become quite sure that the Govt. happens to know more than our own people, then the public will also be informed of its plan and methods without any hesitation at will.

This revolutionary party pursues the policy of cooperation when possible and dissociation where necessary with the Congress and its different parties. But this party views all constitutional agitation in this country with contempt and ridicule. It is a mockery to say that India’s salvation can be achieved through constitutional means, where no constitutions exists.

It is a self-deception to say that India’s political liberty can be attained through peaceful and legitimate means. When the enemy is determined to break the peace at his own convenience, the fine phrase “legitimate” loses all its charm and significance when one pledges himself to maintain peace at all costs.

Our public leaders hesitate to speak in plain terms that India wants complete autonomy free from foreign control. They perhaps are ignorant of the fact that nations are born through the inspiration of great ideals. The spiritual ideal which hestitates to accept the spirit of complete autonomy can hardly be called spirititual, though it may seemingly appear the most unmistakable terms and to place before the nation an ideal worth the name.

The ideal before us is to serve humanity in an organized way. The ideal can never be realised by India so long as India remains British India. In order that India may realise her ideal she must have a separate and independent existence. This independence can never be achieved through peaceful and constitutional means. Even a child can understand that the laws that govern British India are not made by Indians, nor can they have any control over them. British India can never be transformed into a federal republic of the United State of India through the British laws and constitution. Young Indians, shake off your illusion, face realities with a stout heart, and do not avoid struggle, difficulties and sacrifices. The inevitable is to come. Do not be misguided any more. Peace and tranquility you cannot achieve by peaceful and legitimate means. The following memorable words of a great English author Mr. Robertson may serve to make the wise men of India wiser still:

“The movement and programme of reform was mainly the achievement of Irish and Protestant leaders, to whom British statement had revealed the fatal secret that England could be bullied but not argued into justice and generosity” (English Under Hanoverians, p. 197).

Indian public leaders are still ignorant of this fatal secret, or else they are foolishly wise to remain ignorants.

The wise men of India say that it is absurd to cherish the hope that India can be reconquered by force of force of arms, though they forget that it is equally or more absurd to believe that a handful of Englishmen have kept under subjugation by the force of arms, though they forget that it is equally or more absurd to believe that a handful of Englishmen have kept under subjugation by the force of arms one-fifth of the whole human race. Posterity may well doubt the authenticity of this fact that a handful of Englishmen even ruled over India for a century; it is so inconceivable.

A few words more about terrorism and anarchism. These two words are playing the most mischievous part in India today. They are being invariably misapplied whenever any reference to revolution arises to be made, because it is so very convenient to denounce the revolutionary under that name. The Indian revolutionaries are neither terrorists nor anarchists. They never aim at spreading anarchy in the land and therefore they can never properly be called anarchists. Terrorism is never their object and they cannot be called terrorists. They do not believe that terrorism alone can bring independence and they do not want terrorism for terrorism’s sake although they may at times resort to this method as a very effective means of retaliation. The present Govt. exists simply because the Foreigners have successfully been able to terrorise the Indian people. The Indian people do not love their English masters, they do not want them to be here; but they do help the Britishers simply because they are terribly afraid of them and this very fear resists the Indians from extending their helping hands to the revolutionaries, not that they do not love them.

The official terrorism is surely to be met by counter-terrorism. A spirit of utter helplessness pervades every strata of our society and terrorism is an effective means of restoring the proper spirits in the society without which progress will be difficult. Moreover, the English masters and their hired lackeys can never be allowed to do whatever they like, uninterrupted, unmodested. Every possible difficulty and resistance must be thrown in their way. Terrorism has an international bearing also, because the ardent enemies of England are at once drawn towards Indian through terrorism and revolutionary demonstrations, and the revolutionary party has deliberately abstained itself from entering into this terroristic campaign at the present movement even at the greatest of provocations in the form in the form of outrages committed on their sisters and mothers by the agents of a foreign government, simply because the party is waiting to deliver the final blow. But when expediency will demand it, the party will unhesitatingly enter into a desperate campaign of terrorism, when the life of every official and individual who will be helping the foreign ruler in any way will be made intolerable, be he Indian or European, high or low. But even then the party will never forget that terrorism is not the object, and they will try incessantly to organize a band of selfless and devoted workers who will devote their best energies towards the political and social emancipation of their country.

They will always remember that the making of nations requires the self-sacrifice of thousand of obscure men and women who care more for the idea of their country than for their own comfort or interest, their own lives or the lives of those whom they love.

Sd/-V.K.

President, Central Council,

R.P. of India.

[archivist-crow]

The Haunted Atlas

West Virginia Penitentiary - Moundsville, West Virginia

Former maximum security prison in Moundsville, West Virginia, which has numerous haunting phenomena.

History

The West Virginia Penitentiary opened in 1876, modeled after the Gothic-style prison in Joliet, Illinois. The location in Moundsville was chosen for its proximity to Wheeling, which was the state capital at the time. It was built by inmates out of hand-cut quarried sandstone. When completed, it was about half the size of the Joliet facility and could hold 480 inmates. By the early 20th century, the penitentiary was successful and self-supporting, thanks to prison industries and labor. In addition, education was provided to the inmates, making Moundsville a model correctional facility.

There were abuses by guards, however. Prisoners were whipped and tortured. Two favored instruments of torture were the "kicking Jenny" and the "shoo-fly." The kicking Jenny was a rounded piece of wood over which a prisoner would be bent and tightly fastened down so that he could not move. His back was severely whipped. The shoo-fly was a stockade device that also prevented a prisoner from moving. He would be sprayed in the face at close range with high-pressure icy water. Prisoners struggled not to be choked to death.

The prison population swelled to about 2,400 inmates in the 1930s forcing up to three prisoners to be housed in cramped cells that measured five by seven feet. A project to double the size of the prison was begun in 1926, but was not completed until 1959, due to a steel shortage during World War II.

Executions by hanging and electrocution took place at the prison. The state assumed control of executions in 1899, and between that year and 1949, 85 men were hung at Moundsville; nine men hanging was replaced by the electric chair; nine men were electrocuted between 1951 and 1959, when the state abolished the death penalty. There were other deaths at the prison: inmates killed each other. The exact number of murders is not known, but is believed to be in the hundreds.

In 1973, a riot erupted when 35 prisoners jumped a guard, took his keys, took five guards hostage, and barricaded themselves in the maximum security basement. They set a fire, which raged out of control for a while and then was put out by other inmates. The riot was subdued; two inmates were hospitalized. Another riot occurred in 1986, centered in the cafeteria. A new cafeteria was constructed as a result.

In 1986, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the small cells of the prison constituted cruel and unusual punishment. The prison closed in 1995, and prisoners went to a smaller facility in Mt. Olive. It is now the National Corrections and Law Enforcement Training and Technology Center. It is open to the public for tours and for private paranormal investigations. The facility runs its own ghost tours.

Haunting Activity

Legend holds that the prison is built on top of Native American burial grounds. Whether this is true is not known, but Moundsville was named after the mounds left behind by the early Adena people. Indian burial grounds that have been violated are often associated with haunting phenomena.

There are five areas that have been identified as "most haunted" in the facility: Death Row, the Sugar Shack, a recreational area, the chapel, the shower cages, and the North Wagon Gate, where inmates were hung prior to the use of the electric chair.

Activity includes shadow people, electronic voice phenomena, phantom sounds, and apparitions. Ghostly faces and figures and orbs have been captured on camera. Sounds of heavy objects being dragged about have been heard.

Text from The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits, Third Edition by Rosemary Ellen Guiley (Checkmark Books - 2007)