Draft:Debashish Bhattacharjee

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Debashish Bhattacharjee Vice President, Technology & R&D, Tata Steel Born: July 2, 1964 Image taken: April 2022 Passport: Indian Work Permit: India and UK

Debashish Bhattacharjee

Debashish Bhattacharjee (Bengali: দেবাশীষ ভট্টাচার্য) is the Vice President for Technology and Research & Development at Tata Steel and a respected leader in the materials and manufacturing engineering industry. He is one of the few technologists who successfully spans the entire spectrum of technology development, from ideation to commercialization. Dr. Bhattacharjee is an expert in translating research into commercial applications across a wide range of fields.

Education

Dr. Bhattacharjee has an impressive educational background. He graduated at the top of his class with a Bachelor's degree from Jadavpur University and a Master's degree from IIT Kanpur. He was awarded the Best All-rounder Graduate medal by Jadavpur University for his excellence in both academics and co-curricular activities. Dr. Bhattacharjee earned the prestigious Cambridge-Nehru Scholarship to pursue his PhD at Cambridge University. Following this, he completed two post-doctoral stints: one at the Rolls Royce University Technology Centre at Cambridge and another at the University of Birmingham.

During his early research at Cambridge, he focused on studying the interactions between microstructures and cracks in high-strength steels and nickel-based superalloys, which led to a deep understanding of materials fatigue and fracture. Over the last 27 years, Dr. Bhattacharjee’s research has spanned areas such as mineral beneficiation and the physical and mechanical metallurgy of products. He was among the pioneering researchers to apply artificial neural networks to processes in iron and steel making.

Dr. Bhattacharjee has co-supervised 8 PhD students in fields including mineral beneficiation, the physical metallurgy of advanced high-strength steels, fatigue and fracture of thin sheets, and artificial neural networks. His extensive research has resulted in over 60 publications in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals and more than 40 patents. He has also co-authored and edited 8 books. Among his recent works are "Future Landscape of Structural Materials in India" for the Indian National Academy of Engineers (INAE) and "Advanced Materials 1.0" for the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).

Contributions

Over the last 27 years, Dr. Debashish Bhattacharjee has made significant contributions across a wide range of fields, from mineral beneficiation to the physical and mechanical metallurgy of products. He was among the first researchers to apply artificial neural networks to iron and steelmaking processes. His research has resulted in over 60 publications in high-quality, peer-reviewed journals and more than 40 patents. Additionally, Dr. Bhattacharjee has co-supervised 8 PhD students, who have worked on topics ranging from mineral beneficiation to the fatigue and fracture of thin sheets, and artificial neural networks. He has also co-authored and edited 8 books, including "Future Landscape of Structural Materials in India" for the Indian National Academy of Engineers (INAE) and "Advanced Materials 1.0" for the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).

After joining Tata Steel in 1996, Dr. Bhattacharjee quickly rose through the ranks to become the Chief of Research & Development in 2001. In this role, he was instrumental in developing new steel varieties and coatings for the automotive sector. He initiated long-term “Thrust Area” projects in strategically important areas, including reducing ash in coal without yield loss, generating hydrogen from the heat of fresh steelmaking slag, and developing ultra-high-strength steels with high ductility. He also pioneered the use of Artificial Neural Networks to predict the relationship between steel properties and processing parameters.

From 2009 to 2017, as the Group Director of Tata Steel Europe, Dr. Bhattacharjee oversaw technology development in the UK, Netherlands, and India. His strong academic and research background has enabled him to provide insightful technology management and leadership for both Indian and international research at Tata Steel. He drives innovative research initiatives through extensive collaboration with academia, startups, and adjacent industries, resulting in the development of new technologies and products for commercial success.

Since 2018, under Dr. Bhattacharjee’s leadership, Tata Steel has been developing groundbreaking technologies and products in seven strategic areas: (i) Value from low-grade ores and by-products, (ii) Carbon capture utilization and sequestration, (iii) Low-cost technologies for hydrogen generation and storage, (iv) New coatings on steel, (v) Technologies to decontaminate water, (vi) Advanced mobility, and (vii) Application of AI/ML in predictive process control. Notable achievements include converting low-grade Mn-ore to high-quality gamma MnO2 for electric vehicle battery cathodes, and developing Dhurvi Gold, a commercial soil conditioner made from steelmaking slag. Additionally, Tata Steel has developed and commercialized novel, patented coatings, including an anti-bacterial coating on steel that is now being exported. The company also set up a 5T per day carbon capture pilot plant in 2021 at Jamshedpur, where captured CO2 is fully utilized within the plant.

Under the Technology Leadership program, Dr. Bhattacharjee, along with his senior colleagues, guided the world’s largest trial of using hydrogen in a commercial blast furnace. The program also explores using biochar to replace pulverized coal in blast furnaces and coal in direct reduced iron production.

Dr. Bhattacharjee’s extensive contributions to the field have been recognized through numerous fellowships and awards, including being named a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (FNAE) and the Indian Institute of Metals (FIIM). He has also received the National Metallurgist Award from the Government of India and the Tata Gold Medal from the Indian Institute of Metals. His academic and research expertise is further recognized through Visiting and Guest Professorships at Imperial College London, the University of Warwick, UK, and the University of Science and Technology, Beijing.

Dr. Bhattacharjee’s work has not only advanced technology and innovation within Tata Steel but has also played a critical role in transforming the landscape of engineering materials and sustainable technologies in India. His leadership in driving sustainable technologies, fostering industry-academia collaboration, and converting intellectual property into commercial ventures underscores his commitment to building a self-reliant and technologically advanced future for the country.

Awards And Recognition

(i)   National Metallurgist, awarded by Govt of India, 2023

(ii)  Honorary Membership, Indian Institute of Metals, 2022.

(iii) Tata Gold Medal, awarded by Indian Institute of Metals, 2021

(iv) Distinguished Alumnus award, Jadavpur University, 2017

(v) Fellow, Indian Institute of Metals, 2013

(vi) Fellow, Indian National Academy of Engineering, 2008

(vii) Metallurgist of Year, awarded by Govt of India, 2004

(viii) Nehru-Cambridge Scholarship for PhD at University of Cambridge, 1989-1992

(ix) Overseas Research Scholarship for PhD at University of Cambridge, 1989-1992.

(x) University Gold Medal, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 1986

(xi) University Medal for Best All Rounder Graduate, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 1996

References

1) Dr. Debashish Bhattacharjee Conferred with National Metallurgist Award - Published in The Avenue Mall, Monday, 27 November 2023, 21:16:46 IST.

2) NML Jamshedpur Invites Dr. Debashish Bhattacharjee Friday, 10 May 2024, 18:10:14 IST.

3) "Tata Steel – Sprint to Zero 2023 Challenge" Launched by Dr. Debashish Bhattacharjee.

4) "Future Landscape of Structural Materials in India" edited by Dr. Debashish Bhattacharjee, 2022.