Quotes from Greetings for Dr. Baldev Raj on the Occasion of 60th Birthday
Dr. S.K. Sikka,
Scientific Secretary, SAC to PM
New Delhi
Dr. Raj, in my opinion, has over the years emerged as an outstanding leader of both scientists and technologists. His stewardship of the fast breeder programme at Kalpakkam is of highest quality. He does everything which is both excellent and rigorous.
Shri A.K. Mukherjee,
President, The Indian Institute of Welding,
Kolkata
As far as I know, Dr. Baldev Raj is a great scientist and a personal friend of mine who has helped with his great knowledge in developing & helping various Institutions in promotion of Science & Technology in the field of NDT, welding & metallurgy. He is also past President of Indian Institute of Welding, and has helped in developing various ideas in the IIW. His work is always remembered by Indian Institute of Metals, Institute of Non-Destructive Testing of India and Indian Institute of Welding and finally the Atomic Energy, and many other Institution in India and abroad. Very recently he has became the Board of Directors of International Institute of Welding, Paris.
Dr. L. Pugazhenthy,
Vice President & Chairman, Non-Ferrous Division, IIM
C/o India Lead Zinc Dev. Assn., New Delhi.
Over the years, I have watched Dr. Baldev Raj with awe and admiration for the high energy potential that he has for so many professional activities, besides his own job and family, and that too with tremendous competence and success. He is a highly self motivated and self driven scientist with a brain that turns out several ideas simultaneously at supersonic speeds. Coming to our fraternity his immense contributions to the IIM is unique and unparalleled. His keen interest to interact and motivate young students is something that needs to be emulated by all of us. India is proud of an outstanding nuclear scientist like Dr. Baldev Raj.
Dr. P.K. Iyengar,
Chairman (Retd.), Atomic Energy Commission,
Mumbai
Thorium utilization through fast reactors has always been the dream for energy security in India. Homi Bhabha made Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru talk about it in the inauguration function of IREs Alwaye plant in 1952. We have come a long way. We do proudly claim that we can talk of tons of plutonium and Uranium233 from Kalpakkam. To me this is the greatest achievement of DAE considering we were sidelined by advanced countries after 1974. At this point in the history of Atomic Energy we need to emphasize the need for self reliance and objectivity for the future without succumbing to external pressure. A large part of the responsibility lies with the staff of Kalpakkam. You have in Baldev Raj an untiring leader who stands up to his convictions. Every time I receive the IGCAR Newsletter I derive satisfaction that this country is not swept away by false propaganda orchestered by the west to seal our efforts. I therefore look upon every opportunity to renew my contacts. I have therefore decided to take a trip to the south and be with you on 9th evening. My health is not in very good shape but should be able to manage.
Dr. D.V. Gopinath
Former Director, Health & Safety Group, IGCAR
Dr.Baldev Raj, with his lasting contributions to the DAE programmes in particular and to the global metallurgy discipline in general, richly deserves all the felicitations one can offer. I have great regard for his sterling qualities such as deep commitment to the programme, broad perspective, highly effective organising ability and very friendly, pleasant disposition. Dr. Baldev Raj has been very close to me and I have always enjoyed interactions with him.
Dr. S.M. Lee
Former Director. SHINE Group, IGCAR
I feel proud to have been associated with Dr. Baldev Raj for so many years and I enjoyed his warm personality while he made his singular achievements. I take this opportunity to wish him and his family all the very best for the future. I am sure the nation will benefit from his hard work and inspired research for many more years.
Dr. M.H. Manghnani
Professor of Geophysics, University of Hawaii
I truly wish I could come and attend such a unique and wonderful occasion of celebrating birthday of a remarkable distinguished figure, a great leader in many fields of science, engineering and technology, and above all, a rare gem of personality.
Shri R.D. Kale
Former Director, EDG, IGCAR
I am very happy that you are completing an unbeaten and glorious innings of 60 years this month and it is very befitting that an international symposium on an important topic is being held to felicitate you. The year is also equally rewarding to you in that you have been recently bestowed upon Padmashree Award in recognition of your excellent achievements in the nuclear and NDE research. You have also steered the Fast reactor research and development work at IGCAR with great distinction and the PFBR project is a shining example of the excellent support received under your stewardship, which I hope, will continue for some more time.
I would like to acknowledge the strong bond developed between us as a result of our long association at IGCAR though working in different fields and I think this would not have been possible but for your gracious nature and appreciation of the work of your contemporaries and peers.
Dr. V.S. Arunachalam
Former Scientific Adviser to Defense Minister
Dr. Baldev Raj’s sixty years is intimately intermixed with Indian metallurgical renaissance. We still do not have the historical distance to write about what made Indian metallurgy take off, in every area it ventured into. 1947 is just a few years back. When it gets written, Dr. Baldev Raj’s achievements will shine through. His chosen fields are not glamorous or imitative, but are vital. He is concerned with materials in action: how they stand up to the demands of service; how to make them and keep them well; and what of the costs. Critical questions, and the answers tell of the suitability and success of materials in design. Dr. Baldev Raj, with his group of committed colleagues, has contributed so much to these areas of metallurgy. His enthusiasm is infectious and engulfs all those who come close to him and they too perform inspired by the master.
It is said that we should not forget the past. Challenged by South India’s rich tradition of bronze idols, Dr. Baldev Raj chose to study the idols of Tamil Nadu. Our craftsmen saw a Paravtati waiting to come out when others saw only chunks of metal. How they brought Her out and with what fidelity, forms the romance of early Indian iconography. Dr. Baldev Raj has contributed so much to our understanding of our past craftsmanship.
Prof. S.
Ranganathan
IISc, Bangalore
Friends you all agree that you have just listened to a spellbinding lecture by Dr. Baldev Raj. He took us on a journey on just one material namely the austenitic stainless steel. The work done at Reactor Research Centre and elsewhere in India in the last 30 years have been captured. It is possibly true as Dr. S. Banerjee mentioned that stainless steels are invented in the early part of the last century in Shefield, but looks like they have been brought to their full bloom and their possibilities to Kalpakkam by the Group led by Dr. Baldev Raj. It is a wonderful thing and we saw the chemistry can be treat by general addition of titanium, treatments can be modified the treatments, welding and other things and model new ideas like artificial neural network, grain boundary engineering and also processing maps. All these can be brought into the picture. But behind all that the people are doing that and it is very happy thought for me and we can see the people have done that. Dr. Baldev Raj and his colleagues at Kalpakkam and elsewhere and they are all with us and we can talk to them and these are the people who are taking us into the new century, this particular century which hopefully mark India emerging as a superpower. Dr. Baldev Raj mentioned in a different way but I want to repeat it. There is a Tamil Kurul “The mother feels proud than when she gave birth but when she hear her son being hailed as a great man”.
A similar pleasure is also comes to the guide has require when I guided him for his Ph.D. I get greater pleasure than when I see the accomplishments of Dr. Baldev Raj and I am sure everyone in the audience shares that feeling in different ways by way of their association with Dr. Baldev Raj of his numerous accomplishments. May I request you give standing ovation for Dr. Baldev Raj not for me for this lecture but for all his accomplishments.