Baldev Raj new chairman of IIT Gandhinagar board

Former director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, Baldev Raj has been appointed as the new chairman of the board of governors of IIT Gandhinagar (IIT-Gn).

"The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, in his capacity as the Visitor of Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN), has nominated Dr. Baldev Raj, former Director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, as the new Chairman of the Board of Governors of IIT Gandhinagar," an official statement informed on Friday.

Raj is currently the president of Indian National Academy of Engineering, president of International Institute of Welding and also the president Research PSG Institutions, Coimbatore. He has also served at the Department of Atomic Energy for over forty two years until 2011.

The four new members to the board of governors (BOG) of IIT-GN include S P Sukhatme, former director, IIT Bombay & former chairman, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, Former Director, IIT Delhi, Surendra Prasad, Deepak B Phatak, Subrao M Nilekani chair professor, Kanwal Rekhi School of Information and Technology Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and Kamal Nanavati, president - Strategic Development at Reliance Industries Limited.

Raj has authored over 850 papers in refereed journals, 60 books and special journal volumes, more than 20 contributions to encyclopaedia and handbooks and has over 20 patents.

He has been awarded with numerous awards and honours including the Padmashri, National Metallurgist Award of Ministry of Steel, Government of India, Indian Nuclear Society, Life Time Achievement Award, Homi J Bhabha gold medal award and Nayudamma Memorial Award, 2012.