Born in Mathura
Recorded on the IFP team page, which also notes her M.Ed from the University of Allahabad.
About
Urmila Bhargava
Managing Director, IFP Petro Products (P) Ltd
UB
Mrs. Urmila Bhargava, a postgraduate, is the Managing Director of IFP Petro Products (P) Ltd. She has the distinction of being the only woman re-refiner in the world. She began her entrepreneurial journey in 1977 and carries more than four decades of industrial work.
Mrs. Urmila Bhargava, a postgraduate, is the Managing Director of IFP Petro Products (P) Ltd. She has a distinction of being the only woman re-refiner in the world. She started her entrepreneurial journey in 1977 due to the sudden demise of her husband and built a long record of industrial work.
At a time when society was not very kind towards working women, Smt. Urmila Bhargava stood as an icon of courage, dedication and entrepreneurship. She led by example from the front and nurtured IFP as her own.
Managing an enterprise is an interplay of constraints and opportunities, which she handled while keeping her head high. At the time of personal loss, she gathered the courage not only to overcome that loss but to focus on the larger work of her life. Her determination in the face of all odds is a story for young entrepreneurs, particularly women entrepreneurs.
She carries experience across product management, marketing, strategy, business development, research and development, and process in the used oil re-refining space. She never lost sight of her mission, or of doing business with dignity and honesty.
She made a name in government for her honesty and principles, and was made Convenor of the task force for lubricating oil with the Ministry of Petroleum, Environment and Industries.
Under her leadership, IFP Petro Products increased its annual capacity from 500 KL to 6000 KL and developed technology to extract base oil from used oil, exceeding virgin base oil specifications without using expensive hydro-finishing technology, while meeting the challenges of colour and odour.
IFP Petro is described on her site as the first fully integrated facility in North India with a used oil re-refinery, blending and filling facility, providing solutions under one roof to major oil companies.
Her zest for life and never-say-die attitude has been the guiding force for IFP. She has a multi-faceted personality. In 2012 she wrote “Sorry Not For Sale”, the story of a woman entrepreneur who proved wrong those who said used oil re-refining was not a domain for a woman. She also released her audio album “Nishaan”. She has described herself as a harvester of hope and a trader in trust.
She has been committed to giving back to society since childhood. Over the years she has sponsored the education of four underprivileged girls. She believes that educating a girl educates her family. Since 2010 she has been part of Anudaan Society, which runs Prateek, an institute for mentally challenged children from below the poverty line. She helped set up their kitchen for a free midday meal, and raised funds for purchasing the plot and completing the building.
Public notes from IFP also record that she was born in Mathura, holds an M.Ed from the University of Allahabad, and was named a winner of the #100 Women Achievers Award 2015 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development under the Industry, Commerce and Entrepreneurship category.
At a time when society was not very kind towards working women, Smt. Urmila Bhargava stood as an icon of courage, dedication and entrepreneurship. She led by example from the front and nurtured IFP as her own.
Managing an enterprise is an interplay of constraints and opportunities, which she handled while keeping her head high. At the time of personal loss, she gathered the courage not only to overcome that loss but to focus on the larger work of her life. Her determination in the face of all odds is a story for young entrepreneurs, particularly women entrepreneurs.
She carries experience across product management, marketing, strategy, business development, research and development, and process in the used oil re-refining space. She never lost sight of her mission, or of doing business with dignity and honesty.
She made a name in government for her honesty and principles, and was made Convenor of the task force for lubricating oil with the Ministry of Petroleum, Environment and Industries.
Under her leadership, IFP Petro Products increased its annual capacity from 500 KL to 6000 KL and developed technology to extract base oil from used oil, exceeding virgin base oil specifications without using expensive hydro-finishing technology, while meeting the challenges of colour and odour.
IFP Petro is described on her site as the first fully integrated facility in North India with a used oil re-refinery, blending and filling facility, providing solutions under one roof to major oil companies.
Her zest for life and never-say-die attitude has been the guiding force for IFP. She has a multi-faceted personality. In 2012 she wrote “Sorry Not For Sale”, the story of a woman entrepreneur who proved wrong those who said used oil re-refining was not a domain for a woman. She also released her audio album “Nishaan”. She has described herself as a harvester of hope and a trader in trust.
She has been committed to giving back to society since childhood. Over the years she has sponsored the education of four underprivileged girls. She believes that educating a girl educates her family. Since 2010 she has been part of Anudaan Society, which runs Prateek, an institute for mentally challenged children from below the poverty line. She helped set up their kitchen for a free midday meal, and raised funds for purchasing the plot and completing the building.
Public notes from IFP also record that she was born in Mathura, holds an M.Ed from the University of Allahabad, and was named a winner of the #100 Women Achievers Award 2015 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development under the Industry, Commerce and Entrepreneurship category.
Journey
A public record of the work, honours and responsibilities described on her website and the IFP team page.
-
-
An unexpected beginning
After her husband’s death she stepped into used-oil recycling, a field she has said she did not know, and began the entrepreneurial journey in 1977.
-
Policy work
Convenor of the lubricating-oil task force. The Lubricating Oil Control Order followed in 1987.
-
Waste oil and Oil Savers
Founder President of the Waste Oil Management Society, and a member for the Waste Oil Management and Handling Rules, 2000.
-
Public recognition
Covered by the Today group as a woman entrepreneur and achiever.
-
Anudaan and Prateek
Joined the work of Anudaan Society and its institute, Prateek, including a kitchen for free midday meals.
-
Book and album
Wrote Sorry Not For Sale and released the album Nishaan. The Amazon page lists the paperback year as 2017.
-
Women Achievers Award
#100 Women Achievers Award from the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
-
A larger refinery
IFP’s annual capacity grew from 500 KL to 6,000 KL under her leadership.
Achievements
Served major oil companies
Served more than 1,845 customers, including IOCL, BPCL, HPCL and Castrol India Ltd.
Used oil turned into base oil
Converted hazardous used oil into valuable base oil — 1,80,500 KL, as stated on her achievements page.
Champion of the environment
Reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 4,51,250,000 kg, as stated on her achievements page.
Forex saver
Reduced the import bill by $182 million, as stated on her achievements page.
Lubricating oil policy
Convenor of the 1985 Ministry of Petroleum task force that led to registration of used oil processors and the Lubricating Oil Control Order, 1987.
Waste oil rules
Member, Ministry of Environment, for formulation of the Waste Oil Management and Handling Rules, 2000.
Society of Oil Savers
Founder President of the Waste Oil Management Society in 2000, later the Society of Oil Savers, of which she is Chief Patron.
Author
Author of Sorry Not For Sale, published by James Hemingway, an imprint of Shreem Info Media. Paperback on Amazon.in.
Nishaan
Released the musical album Nishaan, with ghazals, bhajans and geets.
Today group
Covered by the Today group in July 2002 as a woman entrepreneur and achiever.
Focus News
Covered by Focus News in the programme “Ab ke baras mohe bitiya hi dejo”, including a short documentary of her life.
Honoured by the President of India
Her site records that she was honoured by the President of India, and covered in the Hindi news daily for that award.
Honoured by Amity University
Recorded on her site as an honour from Amity University.
#100 Women Achievers Award 2015
Winner of the #100 Women Achievers Award 2015 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Industry, Commerce and Entrepreneurship category.
Pyau
Inaugurated a pyau to provide RO water to the public on her birthday.
Expertise
Used oil re-refining
Process, quality and technology for recovering base oil from used oil.
Product management
Listed among her functional areas on her about page.
Marketing and strategy
Building IFP as a supplier to major oil companies.
Business development
Growing capacity and integrated blending and filling.
Research and development
Colour, odour and base-oil quality without expensive hydro-finishing.
Public policy
Task-force work with the Ministries of Petroleum and Environment.
Values of life
A recurring theme of her writing: dignity, honesty and courage.