Chandrasekhar Balakrishnan : Pioneering Innovation In Advancing Automation & Cryogenic Technology
Chandrasekhar Balakrishnan
Founder
In 1992, after more than 10 years of working in commercial operations, he decided to start his own business and established Service Now Limited. After initially concentrating on service finishing, his company branched out into nuclear, ISRO, and aerospace industries before becoming the first to employ cryo de-flashing. Today, his advanced finishing technologies firm is flourishing despite obstacles like the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating IIT Madras's influence on industry leaders.
In a personal interview with us, Chandrasekhar shared his extensive and unique journey along with his excellent leadership skills.
What inspired you to establish Cryo Deflashing & Allied Technologies and what drives you today?
Cryo stands for cryogenic, a term I learned about early in my professional life. We first looked into the possibility of using this technology to solve a major issue in India, which was the lack of reasonably priced, domestically produced cryogenic equipment. The only machines available at the time were imported, but they were prohibitively expensive and used a lot of nitrogen.
We set out to create an Indian-made alternative after realizing how urgently one was needed. We worked along with experts from Bangalore's Indian Institute
of Science (IISc), who kindly provided a ground-breaking low-pressure dispensing approach. We were able to create a very effective product that not only satisfied industry demands but also competed with the original foreign ideas by combining this innovation with our knowledge of service finishing.
You possess over 43 years of experience. How has been your path to success and what is your success mantra?
Due to several obstacles, including the effects of COVID-19, the deployment of our cryogenic technology was delayed, and we are only now starting to see true success with it. Considering that smaller manufacturers frequently view cryogenic systems as costly and complicated, we have concentrated on making the technology accessible to them. Due to exorbitant prices and operational issues, many medium and small-scale producers have historically shunned such solutions. However, our approach removes these obstacles by providing an affordable and user friendly substitute.
As manual labour becomes more scarce and maintaining volume and quality manually becomes more challenging, more organizations are gradually discovering the operational and financial advantages of automation. Because manual processing is too dangerous and inaccurate, cryogenic deflashing is now required in sectors like aerospace. We are finally gaining traction, and the industry is seeing the long-term advantages of our technology as manufacturers start to see how important automation is in satisfying strict quality criteria.
Could you tell us about the most valuable lesson or experience you gained from IIT Madras?
IIT Madras's distinctive setting, where academics coexisted with nature and friendly wildlife, was what most intrigued me about it. Engineers typically worked on drawing boards, so our five-year degree gave us a lot of practical experience. We participated in handson work through our German association, which was a worth while educational experience. IIT Madras also promoted extracurricular activities, which helped me succeed in areas other than
Empowerment, fostering a positive atmosphere, and making sure every-one feels appre -ciated are all aspects of my leader ship
You possess over 43 years of experience. How has been your path to success and what is your success mantra?
Due to several obstacles, including the effects of COVID-19, the deployment of our cryogenic technology was delayed, and we are only now starting to see true success with it. Considering that smaller manufacturers frequently view cryogenic systems as costly and complicated, we have concentrated on making the technology accessible to them. Due to exorbitant prices and operational issues, many medium and small-scale producers have historically shunned such solutions. However, our approach removes these obstacles by providing an affordable and user friendly substitute.
As manual labour becomes more scarce and maintaining volume and quality manually becomes more challenging, more organizations are gradually discovering the operational and financial advantages of automation. Because manual processing is too dangerous and inaccurate, cryogenic deflashing is now required in sectors like aerospace. We are finally gaining traction, and the industry is seeing the long-term advantages of our technology as manufacturers start to see how important automation is in satisfying strict quality criteria.
Could you tell us about the most valuable lesson or experience you gained from IIT Madras?
IIT Madras's distinctive setting, where academics coexisted with nature and friendly wildlife, was what most intrigued me about it. Engineers typically worked on drawing boards, so our five-year degree gave us a lot of practical experience. We participated in handson work through our German association, which was a worth while educational experience. IIT Madras also promoted extracurricular activities, which helped me succeed in areas other than
academics and obtain the Governor's Medal for exceptional achievement. My perspective was influenced by this harmonious environment, so when I joined the field, I didn't feel alienated and was ready to take on obstacles head-on.
Could you illustrate the accessibility of faculty to students at IIT Madras?
Faculty members used to place a lot of weight on work experience, but these days, they are more interested in publishing research and advancing knowledge. Working on the shop floor at ISL gave me invaluable experience in my speciality of metallurgy and gave me firsthand knowledge of actual industrial operations. At IIT Madras, one of my instructors had made the switch from business to academics and brought first-hand experience with shop floor operations. We gained a depth of comprehension from his real-world experience that was not possible through merely theoretical education. The majority of instructors had practical industrial experience a few decades ago, which significantly enhanced our education and better equipped us for obstacles that arise in the workplace today.
Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the guidelines or methodologies you follow as a leader?
I've never forgotten a quote from Dr Kalam during an ISRO mission failure. He assumed full authority as chairman, promising the media that they would grow and change. However, he fully credited his squad when the subsequent mission was successful. Owning mistakes while appreciating others' accomplishments is a sign of true leadership. Excellent leaders create an atmosphere where individuals feel free to try new things, pick up new skills, and develop. This strategy is used by ISRO's present leadership, who actively recognize team members and place more women in important positions. In addition, our crew was recognized for its contributions to a recent mission.
Chandrasekhar Balakrishnan, Founder, Cryo Deflashing & Allied Technologies
An entrepreneur and industry leader with a focus on cutting-edge finishing technologies is Chandrasekhar Balakrishnan. He invented cost-effective cryogenic technologies for precise production and has more than 40 years of experience. Under his direction, ISRO, industrial applications, and aerospace all prioritize automation, innovation, and accessibility.
Could you illustrate the accessibility of faculty to students at IIT Madras?
Faculty members used to place a lot of weight on work experience, but these days, they are more interested in publishing research and advancing knowledge. Working on the shop floor at ISL gave me invaluable experience in my speciality of metallurgy and gave me firsthand knowledge of actual industrial operations. At IIT Madras, one of my instructors had made the switch from business to academics and brought first-hand experience with shop floor operations. We gained a depth of comprehension from his real-world experience that was not possible through merely theoretical education. The majority of instructors had practical industrial experience a few decades ago, which significantly enhanced our education and better equipped us for obstacles that arise in the workplace today.
Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the guidelines or methodologies you follow as a leader?
I've never forgotten a quote from Dr Kalam during an ISRO mission failure. He assumed full authority as chairman, promising the media that they would grow and change. However, he fully credited his squad when the subsequent mission was successful. Owning mistakes while appreciating others' accomplishments is a sign of true leadership. Excellent leaders create an atmosphere where individuals feel free to try new things, pick up new skills, and develop. This strategy is used by ISRO's present leadership, who actively recognize team members and place more women in important positions. In addition, our crew was recognized for its contributions to a recent mission.
Chandrasekhar Balakrishnan, Founder, Cryo Deflashing & Allied Technologies
An entrepreneur and industry leader with a focus on cutting-edge finishing technologies is Chandrasekhar Balakrishnan. He invented cost-effective cryogenic technologies for precise production and has more than 40 years of experience. Under his direction, ISRO, industrial applications, and aerospace all prioritize automation, innovation, and accessibility.