Frontiers in Materials Processing, Applications, Research and Technology

Baldev Raj has rendered yeoman service to the Department of Atomic Energy over a 42-year period until 2011. As Distinguished Scientist and Director, Indira Gandhi Centre of Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, he galvanized a whole community of staff, scientists and engineers for advancing several challenging technologies, especially those related to the fast breeder test reactor (FBTR) and the prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR). He has nurtured and grown excellent schools in nuclear materials and mechanics, non-destructive evaluation, corrosion, welding, separation sciences & technology and robotics & automation. These schools have delivered science based technological solutions to strategic sectors, industries and have created strong groups in leading educational institutions. His unique accomplishment has been breaking barriers between academia-research and research-industry in order to realize tangible and significant outcomes in high technology domains. Dr. Baldev Raj has played a pioneering role in mastering the technology of complex post-irradiation examination (PIE) to achieve a burn up of 165 GWd/tonne of Pu-rich carbide. Dr.Raj has pioneered application of NDE for basic research using acoustic and electromagnetic techniques in a variety of materials and components. He is also responsible for realising societal applications of NDE in areas related to cultural heritage and medical diagnosis. His widely acclaimed contributions relate to understanding deformation using acoustic and magnetic Barkhausen methods, studies on stability and functional characterization of ferrofluids, corrosion mechanisms and specific sensors for high sensitivity and relevant measurements in a wide spectrum of technologies. His contributions to sodium science, materials development for fast spectrum and fusion reactors, structural mechanics and integrity of high performance components, safety of sodium cooled fast reactors, reprocessing of unique Pu-rich carbide fuel, etc have earned for India a leadership position in these fields in the world. He has used knowledge thus gained to address technology-intensive problems in aerospace and defence. He was elected President of International Committee on NDT in 1992. He is also Past President of The Indian Institution of Metals, Indian Institution of Welding and Indian Society of NDT. He is currently President, International Institute of Welding, President, Indian National Academy of Engineering and President-Research PSG Institutions, Coimbatore. Dr. Baldev Raj is a Fellow of Indian National Science Academy, Indian Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences, India and Indian National Academy of Engineering, The Third World Academy of Sciences, German Academy of Sciences, International Nuclear Energy Academy and Academia NDT, International. He is Hon. Fellow, International Medical Sciences Academy. Author of more than 800 publications in refereed journals & books, 60 books, including special journal volumes, contributions to encyclopedia and handbooks, as well as owner of 21 patents, he has been recognized by way of awards, honours, plenary and keynote talks, editorial positions and assignments in esteemed national and international fora in more than 30 countries. He is editor-in-chief of three series of books. He has been conferred Distinguished Alumnus Award of Indian Institute of Science, Distinguished Materials Scientist Award of Materials Research Society of India, National Metallurgist Award of Ministry of Steel, Government of India and Presidential honour Padma Shri. Above all he has interacted with thousands of scientists and mentored hundreds of children, students, scientists and technologists and has inspiredthem to carry out scientific and technical activities with a high degree of professionalism and, at the same time, following exemplary ethical practices.