A Journey Beyond the Industry
Abhijit Dandekar
Director, Codes & Standards (Asia Pacific), Otis Elevator Company Pty Ltd
President, Pacific Asia Lift & Escalator Association (PALEA), Singapore
Professional Journey
An electronics engineer with post-graduation in Marketing Management, Abhijit is working as Director, Codes & Standards (APAC) at Otis’ Asia Pacific RHQ. With more than 38 years of experience at Otis, his expertise spans across multiple functions including R&D, Field Engineering, Training, Quality, Product Safety, Lean Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Codes & Standards.
Responsible for product and process quality, reliability enhancement, customer satisfaction, and product safety improvements, he currently also serves as the President of Pacific Asia Lift & Escalator Association (PALEA), Singapore, with the objective of harmonizing elevator and escalator codes and standards across Asia Pacific and China.
He is a member of ISO technical committee TC 178 and its workgroups, CEN TC10 Liaison Member, World Elevator & Escalator Federation (WEEF) and WEEF-GTAG. He has represented the India delegation from the Bureau of Indian Standards in multiple ISO TC178 plenary meetings held across Russia, USA, South Africa, Australia, India, Germany, France, and China.
He is also a member of ETD25 (P4 panel), Elevator and Escalator Code Committee of Bureau of Indian Standards, and has liaised with government authorities on amendments to local elevator codes for Maharashtra and Gujarat. In addition, he is a member of CED46 (P16 panel) responsible for drafting the National Building Code of India.
Beyond Work
Abhijit is also an experienced mountaineer and rock climber. With over 50 pinnacles and walls to his name as first ascents in the Western Ghats, he has also been part of expeditions in the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Alps.
He has completed both Basic and Advanced Mountaineering Courses from The Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi, securing “A” grade in both. As an expert trekker and mountaineer, he possesses extensive experience navigating technical high-altitude terrain, mastering alpine skills, and executing complex expeditions safely.
His background spans from leading technical trekking in remote regions to managing alpine risk, roped climbing, glacier travel, and challenging weather conditions across major mountain ranges.
Key Competencies
- Technical Mountaineering: Proficient in rock and ice climbing, glacier travel, crevasse rescue, and fixed-line systems.
- High Altitude Expertise: Experienced in expedition climbing and managing the physical and psychological demands of 6000m+ peaks.
- Risk Management: Skilled in assessing and managing risks related to avalanche, rockfall, and rapid weather changes.
- Leadership: Experienced in guiding expeditions, leading teams, and mentoring, with a strong focus on safety and high-altitude technique.
His focus is on combining meticulous preparation with adaptability, viewing mountains as places for both deep personal challenge and refined skill application. His mountaineering journey has translated directly into corporate strengths, helping him build resilience, strategic planning ability, trust, and leadership in high-stakes environments.
Photographic Moments
With Sir Edmund Hillary, first man to climb Mount Everest, photographed at NIM, Uttarkashi, October 1987.
With Peter Habeler, first man to climb Mount Everest without artificial oxygen in 1978, photographed in Mumbai, February 2012.