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Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2009, 48, 7864
J. B. Joshi Festschrift: Editorial Chemical engineering in India for the last two decades has been dominated by a handful of individuals from the University Institute of Chemical Technology (UICT) in Mumbai, the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) in Pune, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore, and a few other universities and institutes of technology. The names of individuals that come immediately to mind are J. B. Joshi and B. D. Kulkarni. It has been my pleasure to write the editorial for the upcoming B. D. Kulkarni Festschrift in Industrial and Engineering Chemical Research (to be published later this year). And it is equally so now to be similarly involved in honoring J. B. Joshi. They share many things between them, starting from being the offspring of humble gentlemen from Maharshtra. If I had a more direct association with one (B.D.K.) who came to NCL to seek his fortunes in chemical engineering, my association with Joshi, who went to work for my good friend, M. M. Sharma at UICT (then, UDCT, or University Department of Chemical Technology), has been no less personal or rewarding. Joshi has left a lasting imprint on Indian chemical engineering through formidable contributions in three major areas: research, teaching, and industrial consultation. As a professor at UICT, perhaps the foremost center of teaching and research in chemical technology in India, he might have been content with fostering the highest class of teaching and making UICT the most visible and effective advanced center of research in chemical technology in India. He was not. He went on to build on the UICT tradition of continuous involvement with the industry in many ways. He has taken this to such a level that, today, faculty from UICT are more involved with the industry than any other chemical institute in the country. He has done this by example, because, without question, he is the most-sought-after consultant by the chemical industry in India. Joshi’s research interests have spanned a wide range of reactor types. To mention just a few: fluid mechanics and reactor design, including multiphase sparged and mechanically agitated reactors; self-inducing impellers (for catalytic hydrogenation); external loop air-lift reactors and airlift fluidized beds; sectionalized bubble columns; and sonochemical reactors. Joshi’s methods have been widely recommended for the industrial design of several classes of reactors. In recent years, his focus has been on equipment miniaturization to achieve substantially lower capital and operating costs, the latter being mostly contributed by energy. Joshi’s transition from humble beginnings, from a nervous tongue-tied student to the dominating figure that he is today, is a story in itself. This dominance comes from achievements that are truly remarkable. Embracing a vision no broader than his immediate research interests and student responsibilities, he soon acquired a breadth, a presence, and an exuberance of quiet confidence that helped transform UICT from potential for greatness in the Indian context to undeniable reality. I would
like to give a few instances to uphold the truth and credibility of these statements. The annual turnover from processes developed by Joshi and his associates is today well over half a billion dollars per year. Over the years, the quality of the processes and advice offered by Joshi have kept pace with the increasing level of sophistication demanded and expected by the Indian chemical industry, both at the mega and mini levels. While globalization seems to have dampened enthusiasm for local institutes, this has been far from true in the case of UICT. The institute continues to be the centerpiece of the industry’s attention in India, along with a few other centers, such as NCL and, more recently, the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology in Hyderabad. Joshi’s contributions to the development of teaching and research in chemical technology and the strengthening of linkages between the institute and the chemical industry have truly been remarkable. I would like particularly to mention his 300+ publications, with well over 4500 citations in all (perhaps the highest number from an Indian engineer). His contributions to the administration of science have been no less remarkable. As part of the much larger University of Mumbai with over 500 affiliated colleges, there was little room for any significant improvements in teaching and research beyond what was so outstandingly done through the personal efforts of M. M. Sharma. As soon as Joshi became Director of UDCT in 1999, he took steps to successfully convert the department first to an autonomous institute (UICT) and then into a full-fledged independent institute with the status of a university. Many improvements and modern concepts were introduced, including the addition of 400 000 square feet of area for research, hostels, and faculty housing. It was during this period that he agreed to personally collaborate with me in writing a massive chapter on chemical reaction engineering in Albright’s Chemical Engineering Handbook (published in 2009). During this association, which required several personal meetings, I came to know Joshi as a multidimensional individual and not just an outstanding chemical engineer. I had occasion to discuss with him many of the areas where UICT could introduce much-needed changes. I was pleased to know that he had already thought about many of them, and has since introduced them in the teaching programs of the Institute of Chemical Technology, as it is now known. These include time management, stress management, communication skills, interpersonal skills, presentation skills, interview skills, and a few more. As a strong believer in the immense role of yoga in improving the overall efficiency of a person, he also hired coaches to teach yoga. Joshi was recently named the DAE-Homi Bhabha Distinguished Professor of the Department of Atomic Energy, with a joint appointment as M. M. Sharma Distinguished Professor at the Institute of Chemical Technology, both in Mumbai. I would like to take this opportunity to wish him well in his new role and join many others in expressing our appreciation for his services to chemical engineering, particularly in India.
L. K. Doraiswamy Anson Marston Distinguished Professor of Engineering Emeritus, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State UniVersity, Ames, Iowa 50011 IE900990G 10.1021/ie900990g CCC: $40.75 2009 American Chemical Society Published on Web 07/15/2009
