Harish Chandra Chawla is an Advocate practicing before the Supreme Court of India, with a rich and multifaceted career spanning legal, engineering, and public sector leadership roles. He holds an LL.B. from the University of Delhi (1974) and brings a strong technical background with degrees including B.E. in Electrical Engineering, M.Sc. (Engg.) with a specialization in Power Systems, and postgraduate qualifications in Corporate Social Responsibility, Technical Consultancy, and Social Work. Over a professional journey exceeding five decades, Mr. Chawla has held several senior positions, including Director at the Bhakra Beas Management Board and Secretary of the Beas Construction Board under the Ministry of Power, Government of India. He has also served as Chairman of the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum for a major Delhi electricity utility, resolving over 3,300 consumer cases.
As an experienced arbitrator and legal consultant, Mr. Chawla has acted as sole arbitrator, co-arbitrator, and emergency arbitrator in matters involving substations, real estate, and infrastructure contracts. He has advised and been empaneled with entities like the National Small Industries Corporation, MMTC, and the SCOPE Forum for Conciliation and Arbitration. His foreign assignments include serving as a consultant with the General Electricity Company in Libya, where he oversaw HR, technical, and material management.
Currently, he continues his arbitration and consultancy practice, also serving as Director of the Sigma Institute of Energy & Environment, offering solar energy training. Passionate about social causes, Mr. Chawla is the Honorary Secretary General of the NGO Hope Ek A.S.H.A., working on health and CSR initiatives since 2001. His memberships include the Supreme Court Bar Association, Delhi High Court Bar Association, Indian Council of Arbitration, NCLT Bar Association, and International Council of Jurists, London.
Chairman - Served as a Chairman for Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum of a electricity distribution utility under Govt. of Delhi having + 20 Lakhs consumers, where I have been redressing grievances of the South and West Delhi consumers in their electricity related matters and have decided record number of 3322 cases in five years with logical judgments (June 2009 to June 2014)
Arbitrator, co-arbitrator, sole arbitrator or emergency arbitrator - Served as Arbitrator in cases of LV, HV substations constructions, real estate sectors on technical and commercial issues with contractors including negotiations and sometimes mediation.
Director - SSigma Institute of Energy & Environment (SIEE), New Delhi, an academic institute that offers Solar Energy short term training for ample job opportunities.
Govt. Service - Joined Govt. in 1973 for the post of SDO as Gazetted officer and retired in 2005 from the post of Director from Bhakra Beas Management Board simultaneously holding position of Secretary, Beas Construction Board, Ministry of Power, Ex- Officio.
In between from 1989 to 1997, I was on Foreign Assignment as Consultant with General Electricity Company - Libya, Ministry of Electricity looking after administration, HR, technical and material management departments at Tripoli in Libya. Total 32 Years till 2005
Advisor - Central Board of Irrigation and Power, New Delhi (June 2006 to September 2006)
Consultant - Ultra Mega Power Project Division (UMPP) with Power Finance Corporation (PFC) September 2006 to May 2008
Technical - Reliable and highly skilled Power Plant Engineer with an exceptional record of successful emergency management. Able to meet a variety of unexpected situations while as head of plant repair team
Have extensive experience of construction & Maintenance of 400, 220, 66 and 33 KV transmission lines, substations, switchgears. augmentation, operation & maintenance of networks.
Management and Administration - 32 years with top management while with Govt. and 19 years post-retirement as Chairperson of Consumer Forum, Govt. of Delhi and as consultant with PSU / in private sector in the area of Administration, engineering, legal, purchase, constructions, inspections, mediation, arbitration, recruitments, trainings, planning, development, and execution, Staff handling during National / International assignments, training and their empowerment. Handing departmental enquires on technical and commercial issues of contractors, Settlement of disputes between investors and contracting parties. Compliances as per Govt. regulations, Communications, team building, review financial and technical reports, emergency handling.
Preparation and approval of specifications, tendering, their evaluation, awarding contracts of on projects involving colonies, housing, roads, street lights and other infrastructure. Technical due diligence & Audit.
Preparation of budget as per organization resources and guidelines. Participation in financial meetings for discussion and recommending it at board level.
Liaison, co-ordination, regular monitoring by close follow ups of departmental cases with state / central ministries at Secretary and Mantri Level being a part of my job while my posting as Director (Co-ordination) being stationed at Delhi and has learnt of managing and building relationships.
To head purchase committees and inspection teams for bulk purchases of Bhakra projects.
Participated in Secretary- level meetings on behalf my institution. Drafting minutes of meetings, follows ups with respect to decisions taken during meetings and their implementation.
On social front preparation and executing social development projects by carrying out baseline surveys and implementing CSR projects including their monitoring and audit.
It is since 2001, I am extending voluntary service to an NGO working in health sector since its inception and has become familiar with Society / Trust, its registration, 12A and 80G registration, NITI Aayog registration, CSR funding, preparation of project proposals, project completion, quarterly and annual progress reports, FCRA registration and their compliances including filing of quarterly and annual returns and utilization certification.
Now after retirement, continuing it with full dedication in their projects and involved in its administration, recruitments, budget preparations, procurements, attending meetings, accounting, financial year audit, finalizing IT returns and annual reports, utilization reports including compliances from time to time as per amendments.
Administration, Consultancy, Technical due diligence, Valuation, to act as assessment body being Chartered engineer, Man power selection / recruitments, Handing departmental enquires, Mediation, Arbitrations on technical, commercial issues of contractors, Redressal of consumer related matters, Social Welfare, co-ordination, monitoring and implementation CSR activities, fund raising, Training, Skill development, Legal Consultancy Drafting and vetting of documents like WILL, Relinquishment deed, Purchase and sale agreements, Commercial, employment, constructions contracts. Affidavits, Petitions, replies, counter replies being a legal person.
Administration, Consultancy, Technical due diligence, Valuation, to act as assessment body being Chartered engineer, Man power selection / recruitments, Handing departmental enquires, Mediation, Arbitrations on technical, commercial issues of contractors, Redressal of consumer related matters, Social Welfare, co-ordination, monitoring and implementation CSR activities, fund raising, Training, Skill development, Legal Consultancy Drafting and vetting of documents like WILL, Relinquishment deed, Purchase and sale agreements, Commercial, employment, constructions contracts. Affidavits, Petitions, replies, counter replies being a legal person.
February 2023 - Attended five days training programme on “Digital Marketing” at MSME - Development and Facilitation Office, Shaheed Captain Gaur Marg, Okhla Industrial Area, Okhla, New Delhi - 110020
December 2017 - Attended five days training programme on “Fund Raising” at Vishwa Yuvak Kendra, Teen Murti Marg, Opp. Chanakyapuri Police Station, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi - 110021
September 2017 - Attended three days “Arbitration Training Programme” at ICADR, Plot No. 6, Vasant Kunj Institutional Area, Phase-II, New Delhi - 110070
August 2017 - Attended two days “Mediation Training Programme” at Vivekananda Law School, VIPS, Pitampura, New Delhi - 110034
April 2015 - Attended 2 days Workshop on “How to Raise Finance” at National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NISBUD), NOIDA.
February 2014 - Attended two days residential program on “Protection of Consumer Interests” organized by Forum of Regulators. New Delhi.
January 2013 - Attended two days workshop on “Consumer Awareness” at NPTI, Faridabad organized by Forum of Regulators. New Delhi.
October 2013 – Attended three months certificate course on “Technical Consultancy” from Consultancy Development Center, DSIR, Ministry of Science & Technology, New Delhi
Effective oral and written communication in English and Hindi.
Computer literacy in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Customized Software.
Day-to-day smooth functioning. Making targeted operative plans from concept to commissioning/implementation.
