Prof. HKDH (Harry) Bhadeshia, Tata Steel Chair Professor of Metallurgy and Director of SKF Steel Technology Centre, University of Cambridge, UK delivered the prestigious Dr. Dara P Antia Memorial Lecture on March 20th, 2017 in College of Engineering, Pune Auditorium Professor HKDH (Harry) Bhadeshia, Tata Steel Chair Professor of Metallurgy and Director of SKF Steel Technology
Centre, University of Cambridge, UK delivered the 11th Dr. Dara P Antia Memorial Lecture in the auditorium of College of Engineering, Pune (COEP) on 20th March, 2017. This prestigious annual national event is organized by the Indian Institute of Metals, Pune Chapter and the Dr. Dara Antia Memorial Lecture Committee, to commemorate the outstanding contributions and the dynamic leadership of Dr. Dara P Antia, the founder of the Indian Institute of Metals (IIM). Professor Bhadeshia in his excellent lecture elaborated the importance of high performance steels, their potential, the challenges and opportunities for the innovators in this field, through many examples taken from his own research of nearly five decades. He emphasized on the synergistic role of experiments and theoretical modelling in the design and development of engineering materials like steel. He presented a case study where a new grade of steel designed by his group at Cambridge, having a combination of properties which were considered impossible, is being scaled up currently at Tata Steel Jamshedpur. By comparing the properties of commercial steel which is being produced in billions of tons globally, with graphene, the latest invention in the field of materials, he illustrated the fact that one has to be very cautious while claiming the discovery of novel materials which will replace the existing ones for engineering applications. One must take into account the size, the scale of operations and the purity of materials (without defects) which can be commercially produced. Graphene for example, currently falls short of expectations on all these counts. The lecture was very well attended. Professor Bhadeshia addressed the invitees in a fully packed hall, with many students sitting on the steps of the auditorium. More than 300 participants including COEP students, IIM members and several distinguished invitees from industry and academia attended the lecture. A lively discussion session immediately following the lecture on many aspects of design and development of new grades of steel for industrial applications, was the highlight of the event. Professor E C Subbarao, former Executive Director, Tata research Development and Design Centre, Pune and the past Chairman, Dr. Dara P Antia Memorial Lecture Committee introduced the distinguished speaker and presided over the function. Professor B N Chaudhari, Deputy Director, College of Engineering, Pune and Dr. Biswajit Basu, CTO, Aditya Birla Science and Technology Company Private Limited and Vice President Non-ferrous Division, Indian Institute of Metals welcomed everybody on behalf of COEP and IIM, respectively. Dr. Beena Rai, Principal Scientist & Head, Physical Sciences, Tata Consultancy Services and Honorary Secretary, Dr. Dara P Antia Memorial Lecture Committee welcomed the delegates and proposed a vote of thanks. Professor Subbarao felicitated the distinguished speaker by presenting a memento and scroll to Professor Bhadeshia. One of the students from the department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science presented a hand-drawn portrait of Professor Bhadeshia to him on this wonderful occasion. A dedicated team of volunteers drawn from the Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, College of Engineering, Pune, the members of IIM Student Chapter and Tata Consultancy Services helped organize this memorable event. The organizers are grateful to Tata Steel in particular for their generous support in organizing this year’s function.