Page 126 - CW E-Magazine (18-6-2024)

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TRIBUTE
75 Birthday celebrations of Prof. J.B. Joshi
th
highlights career delivering improved effi ciencies

to industry and society

Rich tributes were paid to Prof.
J.B. Joshi, former Director, Institute of
Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai
at a seminar organised by ICT and the
Marathi Vidnyan Parishad (MVP) at
ICT on June 2, 2024.

Described as a ‘solution engi-
neer’, uniquely adept at identifying
and tackling socially relevant prob-
lems, through astute understanding
of fundamental science and appropri-
ate engineering, Prof. Joshi’s contri-
butions have received some of the
nation’s high honours culminating in a
Padma Bhushan in 2014, and earlier
the Shantiswarup Bhatnagar Prize for
Engineering Sciences, one of the
highest accolades for engineering and
science. In these, he follows in the
footsteps of his teacher and men-
tor, Prof. M.M. Sharma, who took a Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, a contemporary he was associated, starting with Bombay
young student from Satara District in of Prof. Joshi (and also a Ph.D. student Oil Industries. “I am truly amazed
rural Maharashtra under his tutelage, of Prof. Sharma), touched upon Prof. with the range of topics on which he
nourished his passion for learning, Joshi’s humility, as key to the strenuous has been consulting,” Prof. Sharma
and turned him into an accomplished efforts needed to obtain functional observed.
chemical engineer with a penchant for autonomy for ICT, during his reign as
good science and relevant engineering Director. “Nobody else could have done He also commended Prof. Joshi
to aid society at large. it,” he noted. for the efforts taken to garner sizeable
fi nancial resources for building a much-
In a consulting career spanning Taking science to the remotest needed hostel for students at ICT and
nearly fi ve decades, Prof. Joshi’s inno- villages of Maharashtra his untiring efforts to obtain ‘Deemed
vations have saved his clients hundreds Prof. Sharma complimented Prof. University’ status for the institute.
of crores of Rupees through process Sharma for his continuing efforts at
intensifi cation based on fundamental Marathi Vidnyan Parishad in taking Meeting needs of rural India
science, and design of innovative equip- science to the remotest villages of In his response at the end of the
ment – all culminating in yield and Maharashtra. event, Prof. Joshi dwelt on some of the
purity improvements, and fatter profi ts. societal challenges that currently pre-
His strongest legacy are arguably his Dwelling on his 55 year associa- occupy his innovation efforts. One of
students, many of whom turned up at tion with Prof. Joshi, Prof. Sharma these is to improve the fuel effi ciency of
the birthday celebrations to showcase highlighted his immense contributions biomass-based cooking stoves through
their research, much of which benefi t- in industrial consulting that endeared design changes based on fundamental
ted from the guidance of Prof. Joshi. him to all the companies with which understanding of its functioning.

126 Chemical Weekly June 18, 2024

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