Industrialist and entrepreneur Dr. Sachin Balkrishna Sabnis has been appointed as a Non-Official Director on the Board of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) for a period of three years.
The appointment is effective from August 13, 2026, and follows an order from the Ministry of Railways, Government of India. His tenure will be for three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier. IRCTC is undertaking the necessary formalities in connection with the appointment.
The appointment brings a prominent industrialist from Belagavi onto the board of IRCTC, the Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Railways.
From Belagavi industry to a national-level role
Dr. Sachin Sabnis is a well-known industrialist and entrepreneur from Belagavi. He studied at St. Paul’s High School, Camp, Belagavi, and completed his Mechanical Engineering degree from K.L.E. College of Engineering, Belagavi. He subsequently worked with BEMCO Hydraulics and Ashok Iron Works before embarking on his entrepreneurial journey.
He established Sai Founders & Engineers in Udyambag in 1995 and later founded Sai Metals at Machhe. He subsequently established Belgaum Ferrocast India Pvt. Ltd. (BFPL), where he serves as Managing Director. The company has an automated foundry and machine shop and manufactures grey cast iron and ductile iron precision components.
Sabnis has more than two decades of experience in manufacturing and entrepreneurship and has travelled extensively across the US, Canada, Germany, France, UAE and China for business promotion and development.
Leadership and public involvement
Sabnis has also held several leadership and institutional positions. He has served as State President of Laghu Udyog Bharati Karnataka and has been associated with industry organisations including the Belagavi Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
He was earlier nominated by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, as a member of the Board of Governors of the National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology, Ranchi, for a four-year term.
He has also been involved in initiatives concerning Belagavi’s aviation connectivity. In 2018, Sabnis was part of the SaveIXG delegation that met Union ministers in New Delhi seeking restoration and expansion of flight services from Belagavi Airport.
In February 2023, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) in recognition of his contribution to science and technology. He has also received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from TiE Hubli and an Entrepreneur of the Year award from KLS IMER.
His appointment to the IRCTC board marks another significant national-level responsibility for the Belagavi-based industrialist and entrepreneur.
