14/11/2015
45th National Metallurgist Day
The 45th National Metallurgist Day and the 61st Annual Technical Meeting of the Indian Institute of Metals was celebrated at Nehru Centre today. National Metallurgist Day is celebrated every year on November 14, which is the birthday of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. On this day awards are given by Ministry of Steel, Government of India and the Indian Institute of Metals (IIM) to meritorious professionals from metallurgy & materials Science and engineering.
During his presidential address, Dr. Srikumar Banerjee, President, IIM and Director, BARC brought out the symbiotic relationship between the availability of energy and that of engineered materials. He elaborated this point by stating that the growth of nuclear energy in the 60s and 70s inspired many new innovations in materials area. The development of a variety of fuel and structural materials, the understanding of complex interactive processes in an aggressive radiation environment, long term behaviour of materials under stress, high temperature, corrosion and radiation were the challenges posed by nuclear engineers to the materials scientists. The success of nuclear technology today to provide a safe, environment friendly and sustainable energy form is a testimony of the ability of material scientists to meet these challenges. As the energy shortage emerges as the most serious impediment in the industrial growth of our country, material scientists are facing many fresh challenges. In the nuclear area, the growth in our installed power capacity will be possible through the development of fast reactors fuels having shorter doubling time. Meeting this difficult challenge will take us a long way in providing energy security to the country. In a similar manner, in solar energy the deployment of the energy efficient photovoltaic cells critically depends on the large scale production and processing of silicon and development of several novel band gap engineered materials.
IIM is embarking upon introduction of new avenues for education and training. IIM is planning to introduce both the short term courses oriented towards specific industries and advances courses for professionals engaged in academic and research areas. IIM�s education programmes will include conducting short term courses, industry specific courses, postgraduate diploma courses, publication of books and course materials, helping students through contacts with experienced faculty and organizing experimental study tours to some neighboring laboratories. National Metallurgist Day celebrations will be followed by the Annual Technical Meeting which is being organized in the form of mini symposia on specific topics. At this gathering, scientists and engineers will present their latest work to their peers. We have specially invited several students and young professionals who will get the opportunity to listen to the eminent experts in various fields of metallurgy and material science.
Referring to the creative aspects of the metallurgical profession, he mentioned that through human imagination, it is possible to expand the range of the properties of materials just like a musician who can bring out unending varieties of music from the same musical instrument.
Dr. Uday Pratap Singh, Jt. Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Government of India was the guest of honour on this occasion. In his speech, he said that currently the global growth rate in the steel industry is about 7.9% as against India�s growth rate of 9.8%. This brings the focus on three cardinal issues to be addressed:
1. Scarce resources
2. Energy Economy
3. Climate Crisis
To mobilize resources it is important to have public participation by making them partners in progress. Energy efficient technologist needs to be developed through R&D support. Eco-friendly technologies can help produce energy without adversely affecting the environment.
In his inaugural address the Chief Guest Prof. P. Rama Rao, Chairman, Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences, Department of Atomic Energy made a presentation on �metallurgy, the endless frontier�. In this presentation, he stressed the equally important role of experimental and computational aspects of metal science. He referred to the advances in microscopy by saying that today one can not only see individual atom, one can contact an atom, lift, transport and redeposit the same atom under visual control. Using such advanced tools it is possible to develop previously unattainable properties by manipulating the microstructure. he pointed out the need for research on enhancing the ductility of magnesium, which is abundantly available in nature but could not be used much because of its poor formability.
More than thousand delegates from all over the country are attending this conference, which is being convened by Dr. G.K. Dey, Head, Materials Science Division, BARC, Mumbai. This conference is being organised by the Mumbai, Vadodara Pune and Hazira Chapters of the Indian Institute of Metals.
