Positions Held

 

• Professor, Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 2010 - present
  
  

• Chief Controller Research and Development (Aeronautics and Materials Sciences) and Distinguished Scientist, DRDO, 2003 - 2010

 

• Director, Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), 1996 - 2003

 

After a brief stint as a research fellow on a project of the Aeronautical Research and Development Board of India, Dr. Banerjee joined the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory of DRDO in Hyderabad in 1979, and was the director of the laboratory from 1996 to 2003. During the course of his career, Dr. Banerjee has held research positions at world's premier metallurgical institutions including the Carnegie Mellon University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA, and GE Corporate Research and Development Laboratory, Schenectady, USA. He was Chief Controller, R&D of DRDO from 2003-2010, and in that position he coordinated the aeronautical and materials programmes of DRDO. He is currently Professor, Department of Materials Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science. Prof. Banerjee chairs the research council of CGCRI (Kolkata , India), the GTMAP program of ARDB, Govt. of India, and serves on the Technical Advisory Board of Midhani Ltd. He participates in the manufacturing initiatives of the Indian Institute of Science. He is also on the editorial board of the Annual Review of Materials Research and an associate editor of Philosophical Magazine. He has in the past chaired the research council of NIIST, Trivandrum and served on the Board of Governors of IIT Madras and on the board of Midhani Ltd as an government representative and independent director. He is a past president of The Indian Institute of Metals

 

Academics and Research

 

In his early research career, Dr. Banerjee developed an understanding of structure-property relationship in titanium alloys using advanced techniques of electron microscopy. He subsequently initiated programs on development of intermetallics based on the Ti-Al system for use in high temperature applications. This work led to the development of a new generation of alloys based on this intermetallic compound, some of which have been internationally patented. He has about 100 research publications to his credit. As the director of DMRL, Dr. Banerjee provided leadership for many critical defence related materials programs including special naval steels for the Indian Navy's aircraft carriers, investment casting processes for single crystal, directionally solidified and equiaxed Ni base alloys and the development of titanium alloys products for aeroengines. As Chief Controller R&D of DRDO, he coordinated military engine and combat aircraft programmes, and major system development efforts in airborne electronic warfare, unmanned vehicle and airborne early warning capabilities, and related advanced materials development efforts. Currently his research focuses on processing-structure-property relationships in engineering alloys with emphasis on titanium alloys.

 

 

Awards and Honours

 

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Life time achievement award, 2014
  
  
• Professor Jai Krishna Memorial Award of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), 2011
  
  
• JC Bose fellowship by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), 2011
  
  
• DRDO Technology Leadership Award, 2008
  
  
• Padmashri, 2005
  
  
• Distinguished alumnus award of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), 2003
  
  
• Superconductivity Prize of Materials Research Society of India (MRSI), 2001
  
  
• Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, 2001
  
  
• Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Award in the field of Engineering Sciences by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), 1993
  
  
• Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), 1992
  
  
• Scientist of the Year award of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), 1987
  
  
• National Metallurgist's Day Award of the Indian Institute of Metals (IIM), 1987