Dashrath Kumar, Head – Security, Tata Power, Trombay Thermal Power Station talks about his current responsibilities that go beyond the conventional role of securing a plant. Trombay is one of the most sensitive and high-risk power facilities in India, and his role is to not only safeguard this site but also contribute at the corporate level by helping design audit criteria for the entire Tata Power group, automating security processes, and formalising Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) across all three businesses—Generation, Renewables, and Transmission & Distribution.
Interviewed by Adeesh Sharma & Sonali Arora
Please tell us about your professional journey and your role in the current organization.
My professional journey has been long, diverse, and at every stage very rewarding. I began with journalism, which gave me a strong foundation in observation, analysis, and communication. Later, I moved into the hospitality sector, taking up security roles with some of the most respected brands—ITC, Accor (Novotel), and eventually the Taj Hotels (IHCL). At Taj, I grew steadily, from Security Officer at the iconic Falaknuma Palace to Area Head – Safety & Security for the entire Karnataka region, managing multiple hotels. This phase of my career exposed me to the highest levels of guest safety, international security audits, and the challenges of managing complex events in high-pressure environments.
My professional learning expanded further when I trained in Israel, one of the world’s finest hubs for security education. Exposure to Israeli forces and methods of risk management gave me a fresh perspective and the confidence to take on larger, more complex responsibilities. It also gave me the mindset to adapt across very different business landscapes—moving from service-oriented sectors like hospitality to highly technical, engineering-driven industries such as power generation. In simple words, it was truly a transformation “from suit to helmet.”
In 2021, I joined Tata Power, first at CGPL Mundra, which is one of India’s largest UMPP projects of 4,000 MW, and later took charge as Head of Security at Trombay Thermal Power Station, Mumbai. My responsibilities here go far beyond the conventional role of securing a plant. Trombay is one of the most sensitive and high-risk power facilities in India, and my role is to not only safeguard this site but also contribute at the corporate level by helping design audit criteria for the entire Tata Power group, automating security processes, and formalising Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) across all three businesses—Generation, Renewables, and Transmission & Distribution. My focus is on building an integrated framework where people, processes, and technology work seamlessly together to ensure business continuity, regulatory compliance, employee confidence, and above all, public trust.
What are the key security challenges you face and how do you plan to alleviate them?
Security at Trombay and other Tata Power generation units means operating in a very complex environment where the risks are high, the geography is large, and compliance requirements are stringent. One of the first challenges is the nature of the plant itself. Being a coastal site, it comes with jetties, chimneys, and hazardous zones, all of which demand layered surveillance. For this, we deployed PTZ cameras on the 150-metre chimney, giving us both drone detection and cyclone monitoring capabilities.
The second big challenge is managing the sheer volume of workforce and contractors. Thousands of people pass through our gates every day. To address this, we introduced digital contractor safety self-certifications—more than 4,000 have already been completed—and tightened access protocols through automated systems.
Emerging threats are another reality. From drone intrusions and terror threats to chemical hazards and cyber-physical risks, our approach has been to integrate SOPs with modern tools like the Integrated Emergency Response System (IERS) panic radios and the Smart Patrol ACP. These solutions, combined with inter-agency drills, have helped us respond faster and smarter.
And then, of course, there is compliance. We must always be audit-ready for ISPS, ISO, BCMS, DG Shipping, and several other standards. By digitizing our reporting, using ISMS dashboards, and conducting frequent mock audits, we achieved 100% closure of audit observations last year. Thanks to these measures, we have cut emergency response times by 35%, reduced traffic over speeding inside the plant by 60%, and recorded zero major incidents in FY 2024–25.
How do you plan to augment the Security function within your organization?
My vision is built around three pillars: people, processes, and technology.
On the people front, I believe in equipping every guard and officer with the skills and confidence to act decisively. We conduct regular toolbox talks, issue bilingual SOPs, and have expanded training to cover everyone—including women officers, who are now successfully operating control rooms. Last year alone, we conducted over 25 structured training sessions and 37 emergency drills across our sites, which received 97% positive feedback.
On the process side, we brought in transparency and accountability. Tools like the Daily Security Report (DSR), Security Flash Report (SFR), and indices such as the Security Effectiveness Index (SEI) and Security Performance Index (SPI) now ensure performance is tracked daily, appraised monthly, and continuously improved. Every incident is logged, every root cause is analysed, and every corrective action is tracked in the ISMS.
And finally, technology integration is where we have made the most impact. The Smart Patrol ACP ensures over 250 checkpoints and 1,200 patrol logs are monitored digitally every month. The SpeedSafe AI-based road safety system has changed driving behavior within the plant. Drone detection surveillance, ANPR, and VMS are all working together, supported by predictive analytics that help us spot patterns in access, patrol, and incident data. This three-pronged approach has taken Trombay from a traditional guarding setup to a benchmark of critical infrastructure security in India.
Any new security initiatives in the past year or planned for the future?
The past year has been very exciting and full of firsts. We conducted India’s first “Lockdown, Not Evacuation” drill, where 1,178 participants achieved a 100% lockdown in under three minutes. We expanded IERS radios with GPS panic buttons to cover more than 150 lone workers, digitized patrolling through Smart Patrol ACP (eliminating 90% of patrol errors), and launched the SpeedSafe AI system to curb overspeeding by 60%. Most importantly, we cleared all major external audits—ISPS, ISO 27001, ISO 9001, EMS, and BCMS—with zero non-conformance.
Looking ahead, our focus will be on expanding drone detection and integrating it with radar, creating digital training videos and quizzes for faster upskilling, and strengthening cyber-physical integration. We are also aligning our initiatives with Tata Power’s ESG goals—optimizing resources, reducing CO₂ emissions, and embedding sustainability into every layer of security operations.
How do you foresee security technologies progressing within India? What are the learnings from global organizations?
India is moving very quickly from manpower-driven security to tech-enabled, intelligence-led security. I see the future being dominated by AI analytics for surveillance and behavior detection, drone detection and mitigation as a standard practice, GPS-enabled wearables and panic devices for lone-worker safety, and integrated command centers that bring together both cyber and physical monitoring.
From global organizations, one clear lesson stands out—technology alone is not enough. Without strong SOPs, regular drills, and people engagement, even the most advanced systems remain just hardware. The real success comes when technology is supported by trained people and disciplined processes. That combination builds resilience, business continuity, and the trust of employees, regulators, and the community.