First Dr. Dara Antia Memorial Lecture, Pune

Material Science and National Development

I am delighted to deliver the first Dr. Dara Antia Memorial Lecture in this beautiful environment of Kadakhavasala lake. My greetings to scientists, technologists, academics and other invited guests.

When I studied the life of Dr. Dara Antia I found that the research and development were in the forefront of his career. Apart from the research Dr Dara Antia himself carried out, he piloted research as a member of metals committee of CSIR and the governing council of National Metallurgical Laboratory. He also played crucial role in establishment of defence metallurgical research laboratory and was on its governing body for many years. He has spoken and written on technology transfer and how R & D and technology development should be organized for rapid industrialization. Dr Dara Antia also promoted the design, development of many new strategically important alloys. My respects to Dr. Dara Antia for his outstanding contribution to the development of metallurgy in India.

While I am with this audience I would like to share my experiences with four metallurgists with whom I have worked. Firstly, I would like to talk about Prof Brahm Prakash, who was well known as the pioneer in establishing the Nuclear Fuel Complex in Hyderabad.

Innovations in Aerospace material

During the development of SLV-3 we were ready to go for the first static test S-2 (3/4), the second stage motor static test with the flight hardware. While we were ready to do the test at SHAR, there was a debate whether to go for a test or not. The structural specialists had analysed all the aspects and declared that the defects which had come to the notice on the 15 CDV6 Nozzle backup hardware is going to be a failure after 80% of burn time. This may even lead to opening up of Nozzle or explosion. All the members of Space Council declared that the test should be called off. Dr. Srinivasan, a structural specialist had his own analysis on the nature of crack and crack propagation based on his experience. I requested Prof. Brahm Prakash for his view based on his experience that he had with the metal. He spent considerable time in the evening and night and concurred for the test. The test was eventually successful. Dr. Brahm Prakash's guidance paved way for the establishment of the acceptance standard and crack levels in metallic welding for the particular type of steel was established. This event is still ringing very clearly in my mind.

Prof Brahm Prakash was instrumental in taking a decision to go for Maraging Steel against 15 CDV-6. Because of this decision the country is producing adequate quantity of Maraging Steel today.

When he was a Director of VSSC, Dr. Brahm Prakash took the path breaking decision of using of using new generation Maraging Steel for future satellite launch vehicles like PSLV, GSLV boosters. Because of this futuristic decision Maraging stel in being produced in India much to the dismay of the developed countries.

How to take the challenge?

I would now like to narrate an event which took place thirty years ago. During 1976, for realizing the Inertial Measuring Unit (IMU) for Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3) , we needed a precision IMU housing unit which can house 3 accelerometers and 3 rate integrating Gyros along with the connected processing electronics. The weight budget given for the entire inertial measuring unit was only 3 kg. Such a precision housing within this weight budget can be made only by using magnesium alloy. I was in search of a foundry which can do this casting. I visited number of industries both in the private and public sector. When I asked them, whether they can cast the housing, all of them told that it will take minimum three months for as a metallic mould would be mandatory. In a periodic review of the SLV-3 programme by Prof. Satish Dhawan, IMU housing was on the critical path. Then he suggested that there is a tall metallurgist working in DMRL. I am sure if you go and tell your problem, he will be able to help you. When I reached DMRL, I found a tall scientist who was busy discussing with his team in one of the laboratories. He was none other than Dr. V.S. Arunachalam. He asked me what my problem was. I told him that I needed a magnesium alloy precision casing for the inertial measuring unit within a weight budget of 3 kg. I also told him, I would like to have one Unit of the cast casing for testing within a week. He immediately told that there is no problem. He said, you be with me, I will get you the casting within a week. He called his team members and explained the task. Members were studying various options. Dr. Arunachalam gave a suggestion that they can cast using a thermo-cole mould with certain lining, which is the fastest method to get the casting in time. With this method, I got the casting within a week. When others were thinking of making casting through a metallic die, which is a time consuming process, Dr. Arunachalam provided an innovative solution to meet the timeframe. The only problem here was, you have to make a mould for every casting. This was my first meeting with Dr. Arunachalam. At that time, I was not aware that I am going to work with him in the DRDO in the later years.

Development of Critical Materials

Prof P. Rama Rao after his academic stint in Banaras Hindu University joined DRDO. His key contribution to metallurgy was in the analysis of behaviour of metals and alloys especially in the area of fracture and fatigue. Utilizing this specific knowledge he has been able to develop new generation of low cost high strengths steel which are competitor to the very expensive high strength alloys. He provided the leadership for the development of heavy alloy penetrators used in the tank ammunition which led to the establishment of a fully automated heavy alloy penetrator plant as a collaborative venture between DRDO and Ordnance Factory Board. Today, the country is fully self-reliant in tank ammunition. As you are aware, India has the largest amount of titanium ore in the world. Prof Rama Rao facilitated the establishment of extraction technology of titanium from its ore in DMRL. Availability of this technology is enabling Kerala Metals and Minerals Limited to establish a titanium sponge plant with the collaboration of Indian Space Research Organization. At DMRL, Prof Rama Rao gave the leadership for the development of critical aero engine materials (Nickel alloys) and components required for LCA gas turbine engine. The special emphasis was on the production of investment single crystal investment castings of directionally solidified blades and vanes for both LCA main engine and jet fuel starter which is the auxiliary engine for the aircraft. Prof Rama Rao has developed a strategic vision for exploiting minerals and metals wealth of the nation.

Heat shield design and development

Next I would like to talk about Smt Rohini Devi, who is the senior most women Scientist working in DRDO. She is in the development of advanced processed technologies, establishment of facilities and development of state-of-the art products which have to withstand the rigors of re-entry. When Agni re-enters the atmosphere traveling at 15 times the speed of sound. It experiences tremendous friction which makes the outer surface blating leading to very high temperature of 3000 to 4000 degree centigrade. We needed a protection system to ensure that the inside temperature does not exceed 50 degree centigrade. Special composite product was developed which will ablate layer by layer, keeping the inside cool. This involves four dimensional weaving technology for the nose tip which is to be further impregnated at very high temperatures and pressures of the order of 1000 atmosphere. Special equipments like hot isostatic press and multi axis winding and stitching machines and curing machines are needed.

Multi-directional pre-form technology is a closely guarded secret of the western world. By pooling up the research talent in the country available in ISRO, ADA, DRDO and Universities through a consortium approach and nurturing the young minds she could successfully develop products which have been put to operational use in Agni programme. This also led to the development of calipers called Floor Reaction Orthosis (FROs ) extending the benefit of this strategic technology for human good.

FRO Technology: During this time Dr. B.N. Prasad of Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMs) Hyderabad contacted me and asked how the high technologies of defence can be used for medical science. They brought out the specific problem of polio appliances, which are required in great numbers and conventional method of their fabrication, will not be able to cater to the needs of the country. Moreover, they felt that there was a need to improve upon the materials and quality. Immediately, I thought of Rohini Devi's work on advanced composite materials, used in the fabrication of missile airframes, which are quite light weight and very strong. I thought that why do I not use them for the fabrication of light weight, ultra strong and durable standardized walking aids. The standardization was the only way to mass produce these walking aids in order to cater the needy children. Then, a team consisting of scientists from DRDO and doctors from NIMS was formed to study the problem and later a project was sanctioned jointly by Department of Science and Technology and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. This has lead to the production of over 10,000 FROs in the country. We have fitted the FROs to the children in different parts of the country through number of FROs camp organized by DRDO and Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences.

Now I would suggest this programme has to be intensified and we should plan to provide FROs to hundred thousand children before 2010. This will involve creation of a training centre and three or four production units for the FROs. This mission has to be carried out as a collaborative venture between Ministry of Social Welfare and Empowerment, State Governments, multiple orthopaedic medical institutions, DRDO and societal reformers.

Convergence of Technologies

The information technology and communication technology have already converged leading to Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Information Technology combined with bio-technology has led to bio-informatics. Now, Nano-technology is knocking at our doors. It is the field of the future that will replace microelectronics and many fields with tremendous application potential in the areas of medicine, electronics and material science. When Nano technology and ICT meet, integrated silicon electronics, photonics are born and it can be said that material convergence will happen. With material convergence and biotechnology linked, a new science called intelligent bioscience will be born which could lead to a disease free, happy and more intelligent human habitat with longevity and high human capabilities. Convergence of bio-nano-info technologies can lead to the development of nano robots. Nano robots based on DNA when they are injected into a patient with a particular disease, my expert friends say, will diagnose and deliver the treatment exclusively in the affected area and then eventually would get digested.

Emerging area in energy research: Recently, I was reading the "New Scientist", where I found that, there is a possibility of making solar cells as small as a molecule. Victor Klimov says that, one photon of sunlight can give two electron's worth of electricity. In all solar cells now in use, in everything from satellite to pocket calculator each incoming photon contributes at most one energized electron to the electric current it generates. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, Klimov and his team have broken through this barrier. They have shown that by shrinking the elements of a solar cell down to a few nano meters or millionth of a millimeter, each captured photon can be made to generate not one but two or even more charge carriers. If this effect can be harnessed, it could change the whole energy debate by making solar power much more efficient and economical. This is a unique approach, which gets to the very root of the process and compliments all other methods.

I am sure material scientists will be able to carry out studies and work towards the realizing the national goal of achieving energy independence through material science and technologies.

Vision for Metallurgists and Material Scientists

I would suggest the scientists and technologists assembled here to consider taking up action in following areas.

a. As you are aware India's raw material resources both in the land and the seabed are not fully explored. There is an urgent need to enhance our exploration activity particularly in the energy material area such as oil, coal and uranium. For this we may have to acquire advanced and exhaustive exploration capabilities.

b. After exploring we have to intensify our activity in processing and upgrading the raw material to an acceptable grade. For example, the quality of Indian iron ore can definitely be improved through beneficiation.

c. Action is required to draw technology map for converting raw material to product for deployment in advanced systems. This technology map will enable us to see the technology gap which exists in making the final product. Mission mode programmes are needed for bridging these technology gaps. One such area where the gap has been filled is in the development of titanium sponge. This has to be replicated in many other metals.

d. Design, development, cost effective production and marketing of various types of titanium alloys beyond aerospace application into commercial applications.

Conclusion: Creative Leadership

There are 540 million youth below 25 years in the population of a billion people. The nation needs young leaders in material science who can command the change for transformation of India into a developed nation embedded with knowledge society. The leaders are the creators of new organizations of excellence. I have seen and worked with creators of vision and missions. Quality leaders are like magnets that will attract the best of persons to build the team for the organization and give inspiring leadership even during failures of missions, as they are not afraid of risks. One of the very important ingredients for success of the vision of transforming India into a developed nation by 2020 is the evolution of creative leaders. Who is that creative leader" What are the qualities of a creative leader" The creative leadership is exercising the task to change the traditional role from commander to coach, manager to mentor, from director to delegator and from one who demands respect to one who facilitates self-respect. The higher the proportion of creative leaders in a nation, the higher the potential of success of visions like "eveloped India."

Now the question comes, in the present dynamic situation of India, will the creators of creative leaders emerge' Poetically, I can say that when the horizon is fully red or fully green, creator of creative leaders appear in the horizon. I believe and I am sure that this is the time; creators of creative leaders will emerge for finding new innovative solutions for achieving the goal of prosperous, peaceful and secure planet earth.

My best wishes to all the scientists and technologists for success in their missions of applying science and technology for societal transformation.

May God bless you.