Forklict Academy of India was established in 2008 by former Voltas Ltd manager Fazal Shaikh.

Forklift Academy of India (FAI) is inviting international forklift manufacturers to help promote safe forklift driving in India through its target of training 50,000 operators by 2013.

The academy's CEO, Fazal Shaikh, tells Forkliftaction.com News that the Indian industry is forced to employ untrained forklift operators who learn only through experience because there is no dedicated Indian forklift operator safety training school.

"At critical times, these (untrained) operators are unable to manoeuvre out of danger and are trapped in avoidable accidents. This prompted me to venture into this project," Shaikh says.

A former Voltas manager, Shaikh now offers two programmes for forklift operators at FAI. A one-day workshop on safe operation and daily forklift maintenance is offered to experienced but untrained forklift operators. A six-day course is available for novices or high school leavers wanting a forklift driving career.

Training for individuals and small groups of students takes place at FAI's 5,000 sqft (465 sqm) facility in Pune that consists of a training warehouse, lecture hall, library and administrative office. Students are trained on a 3 tonne diesel forklift and hand pallet trucks. There are plans to add more equipment.

Fazal Shaikh (centre, front row) with some of his students.

Shaikh says that FAI has trained Indian students who were going overseas. "Some students going for higher studies in Australia want to make extra income by working as forklift operators and there were even those emigrating to Canada who wanted to have forklift driving skills."

To date, FAI has conducted over 60 courses since its inception in January 2008. Shaikh says the school can only reach its target of training 50,000 forklift drivers by 2013 through planting branches in all major Indian cities and towns.

He invites global forklift manufacturers to help him achieve his goal through partnerships and franchises.

In 2008, FAI was nominated for a Tata NEN Hot Startup Award, while in 2009, it was a finalist for the Sankalp awards which recognise sustainable social enterprises in India.

Forkliftaction.com News reported that Macneill Engineering established a training institute for forklift operators next to its factory in Diamond Harbour Road, Kolkota, in 2007 (Forkliftaction.com News #442). We contacted Macneill CEO Pradip Churiwal for details of his institute but did not receive a response by press time. Shaikh says he cannot comment on the Kolkota institute as he has not seen its curriculum.

Shaikh, 62, retired in October 2007 as national service and training manager for Voltas Ltd's materials handling division. He had worked for the Indian forklift manufacturer for over 30 years and had received training at BT Sweden when Voltas ware representing BT warehouse products in India.