Energy Security for India- A Challenge to Materials Scientists and Technologists*

* This is the text of Presidential Address delivered by Dr. Baldev Raj during the inaugural function of 43rd

 National Metallurgists’ Day and 59th Annual Technical Meeting of Indian Institute of Metals on November 14, 2005 at Indian Institute of Technology-Madras, Chennai.

The topic is of high relevance to the country and the Department of Atomic Energy. Energy security would enable sustained and balanced economic growth of the country. Materials are destined to play a vital role in realizing the road map for energy security.

I feel honoured to have been elected as the President of The Indian Institute of Metals, a position held by several pioneers and doyens. I express my sincere thanks and gratitude to the Council and all the members, for the faith and confidence reposed in me. It gives me immense pleasure to extend warm greetings to every member of the Indian Institute of Metals. I would like to thank and pay my respects to all the founder members of the institute and the past presidents and their esteemed councils who have nurtured this institute from infancy in 1946 to its current stature of unprecedented glory. It is their determination, dedication, vision and hard work that have enabled IIM to be recognized as one of the premier institutes in materials science and technology, catering to the needs of its members engaged in multifaceted activities related to minerals, metallurgy and materials.

Several new initiatives need to be taken by the Institute to accelerate the India 2020 march and to ensure professional growth of our members in all sectors, be it academic, research or industry. These initiatives also need to be in tune with the changing scenario of liberalization and globalization. It is in this context that I would like to present some strategies planned for the development of the Institute and the growth of materials science, engineering and technology during the tenure of my Presidentship. The Institute, at this juncture, has an unprecedented responsibility to nurture young professionals and contribute to Human Resource Development. It is important to involve undergraduate and post graduate students in metallurgy and allied disciplines in science and engineering in the universities and the engineering colleges, in the IIM activities at an early stage and impart knowledge through vocational certification courses; workshops and orientation courses in personality and career development and promote leadership skills by encouraging them to organize activities of the student affiliate chapters.

There are also equally compelling reasons to forge a more vibrant and active collaboration of industries with academic and research institutes. Apart from organizing continuing education ...............................