An eminent Indian scientist has become the first from India and second from Asia to be elected as president of the International Institute of Welding (IIW).
Director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) at Kalpakkam, Baldev Raj was elected as president at a recent meeting of the IIW board of directors at Turkey, IGCAR's Technical Coordination Head J. Daniel Chellappa, said.
Raj, an IISc alumnus and an eminent scientist in areas of material science, engineering and technology, would be assuming office at the 64th annual assembly of IIW scheduled in Chennai in June 2011, Chellappa said, adding Raj has been selected for a three-year period starting 2011.
The 55-nation strong IIW had the mandate to identify, create, develop and transfer proven welding technologies for sustainable development across the world in fields of consumable energy, food, agriculture, security, transport and strategic sector, he said.