Honoring Metallurgical Excellence: NMA 2023
The National Metallurgist Awards (NMA) 2023 ceremony, held on November 21, 2024, in Bengaluru during the IIM-ATM 2024 event, celebrated the remarkable achievements of professionals in the metallurgy and steel sectors in India. The awards were presented by Shri H. D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, in the presence of other distinguished figures such as Shri Sajjan Jindal, Chairman of JSW Group, and Prof. B. S. Murty, Director of IIT-Hyderabad.
The National Metallurgist Awards, conferred by the Ministry of Steel, Government of India, celebrated the exemplary contributions of professionals in the metallurgical field during its 2023 edition. The awards honored individuals for their remarkable achievements in operations, R&D, waste management, and energy conservation, reinforcing India’s strides in metallurgical advancements.
The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Shri Sashi Shekhar Mohanty, CEO & Managing Director of Essar Minmet Limited. With an illustrious career spanning over 47 years, Shri Mohanty’s contributions to the Indian steel industry include pioneering product development, technological upgrades, and cost-reduction measures that saved the industry over $1 billion. His leadership in critical national projects, such as developing special steels for defense applications and enhancing sustainability in steelmaking, was commended.
The National Metallurgist Award was conferred upon Dr. T.P.D. Rajan, Senior Principal Scientist at CSIR-NIIST, for his significant work in lightweight aluminum alloys, composites, and advanced materials for strategic and industrial applications. His contributions to indigenous development under the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission include innovations in thermal management materials for aircraft and space technologies.In the R&D category, Dr. D. Satish Kumar from JSW Steel was honored for his groundbreaking advancements in steelmaking, waste utilization, and machine learning applications. His innovative processes and sustainable practices have set benchmarks in productivity and environmental conservation.
The Young Metallurgist (Environment) Award was awarded to Dr. Sai Gautam Gopalakrishnan from IISc Bengaluru for his contributions to energy materials design using computational and machine learning techniques. Similarly, Dr. Biraj Kumar Sahoo from CSIR-NML received the Young Metallurgist (Metal Science) Award for his transformative work in advanced steel development and strategic sector applications.
The event also featured recognitions by the Indian Institute of Metals (IIM), including honorary memberships and fellowships to distinguished individuals like Mr. Satish Pai, Dr. D. De Sarkar, and Prof. Bikramjit Basu, among others, acknowledging their leadership in metallurgy and materials research.The ceremony highlighted India’s advancements in metallurgy, fostering innovation, sustainability, and self-reliance across industries.