GO – GETTER

ANDY DHANARAJ, Director – Mining – India region, Caterpillar Inc, began his career as a Design Engineer at a manufacturing company based in Chicago. In 2004, he joined Caterpillar as a Transmission Design Engineer for Wheel Loaders in East Peoria, the US. By 2009, he had taken on the role of Quality and Reliability Supervisor for excavator New Product Introduction (NPI) products at Caterpillar Japan. He later served as the Engineering Manager for Excavators Design and Development at Caterpillar India, followed by a role as the New Product Introduction Manager for the launch of the 320D2 Excavator in India. Transitioning into a commercial role, he became the Sales Manager responsible for enhancing the market share of Caterpillar’s Off-Highway Trucks, Excavators, Dozers, Wheel Loaders, and Motor Graders across India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. He then advanced to the position of Worldwide Market Manager, overseeing the market share and profitability of Off-Highway Trucks and Wheel Tractor Scrapers. As Director of Mining for Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and Japan, based in Jakarta, he managed over $1 billion in sales revenue from mining products in the region. Currently, he serves as the Director of India Mining, focusing on supporting the country’s growing demand for energy and commodities. In this role, he collaborates closely with various state governments and central ministries on initiatives related to green energy, sustainability, mine safety, and the adoption of advanced technologies such as autonomous operations, remote-controlled machinery, and diesel-electric and battery-operated mining equipment.

Andy has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Coimbatore Institute of Technology, India and a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Bradley University, USA. He has also taken Part Time MBA courses from IIMA, IIMB and a Distance MBA program from Symbiosis University, Pune, India. Andy holds 2 Indian Patents for product innovation.

DYNAMIC LEADER

Shailesh S Vilankar, Chief Operating Officer, Schindler India, with over 20 years at Schindler India, brings a powerful blend of operational expertise, people leadership and strategic vision to his new role as Chief Operating Officer. He previously served as Senior Vice President – Field Operations, driving efficiency, safety and customer satisfaction. Before that, as SVP – Human Resources, he spearheaded key initiatives in organizational culture and talent development.

Shailesh’s tenure at Schindler has seen him lead across critical functions, playing a crucial role in the company’s growth journey. He began his career at Bharat Bijlee Ltd, gaining experience in HR and sales.

Now at the helm of operations, Shailesh is set to lead Schindler India with a focus on performance, innovation, and sustainable growth in the vertical transportation sector.

TECH GURU

Janak Vakharia, Chief Executive Officer, Xpedeon, with 30 years of experience in the industry, Janak has been instrumental in driving Xpedeon’s penetration into the GCC, UK, and Ireland markets. A significant achievement includes leading the company’s transformation from a traditional licensing model to a Cloud/SaaS platform, completed profitably. His responsibilities comprehend developing strategic plans for sales and marketing expansion, especially in key regions like the US, EU, and Asia-Pacific. He is dedicated to building a world-class team to drive revenue and brand visibility while overseeing operational and financial metrics to ensure a profitable SaaS model, guiding the company’s growth trajectory.

Janak holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and has completed the Stanford Seed Transformation Program. Outside of work, Janak is passionate about badminton, Western classical piano, and scuba diving. He enjoys researching and experimenting with technology in his spare time.

EXPERT CONSULTANT

Sanjay Kumar Sinha, Founder & Managing Director, Chaitanya Projects Consultancy, With over 35 years in infrastructure and consultancy, Sanjay Kumar Sinha, Founder & MD of Chaitanya Projects Consultancy, is known for his visionary leadership and people-centric approach. A civil engineer with a Master’s in Building Science and Construction Management, Sanjay has been instrumental in steering the company’s evolution—from a design-focused firm to one offering comprehensive project supervision, driving revenue growth from 15% to nearly 50%.

At Chaitanya, he oversees growth, finance, and quality, and has built independent, high-performing teams through strong systems and processes. Inspired by leaders like Narayana Murthy and Ratan Tata, Sanjay believes in leading with integrity and resilience. One of his guiding principles: “Haara wahi, jo lada nahi”—you only lose if you never try.

At 57, he remains focused on taking Chaitanya Projects global, while pursuing personal passions like singing, meditation, and staying curious about the real estate sector.