39th National Convention of Metallurgical & Materials Engineers Begins at PSG Tech

Coimbatore, 17 July 2026:

The Thirty-Ninth National Convention of Metallurgical & Materials Engineers and the National Seminar on "Pioneering Materials for Strategic Defence, Nuclear and Space Endeavors" commenced today at PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore. The two-day event is being organized by The Institution of Engineers (India), Coimbatore Local Centre, under the aegis of the Metallurgical & Materials Engineering Division Board (MMDB), IEI, in association with the Department of Metallurgical Engineering, PSG College of Technology.

The inaugural function began with the welcome address by Dr M. Senthilkumar, Chairman, IEI Coimbatore Local Centre. Dr J. Pradeep Kumar, Honorary Secretary, IEI Coimbatore Local Centre, presented the convention theme, while Er K. K. Mehrotra, Chairman, MMDB, IEI, delivered the Presidential Address. Dr P. R. Thyla, Principal, PSG College of Technology, delivered the Special Address. The convention was inaugurated by Padma Shri Dr K. Balasubramanian, Distinguished Scientist and Director, Nonferrous Materials Technology Development Centre (NFTDC), Hyderabad.

During the inaugural session, the IEI Eminent Engineer Awards were presented to Dr Harish C. Barshilia of CSIR–National Aerospace Laboratories, Bengaluru, and Dr M. Kamaraj of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. The IEI Young Engineer Awards were also presented to three distinguished young engineers. The Convention Souvenir was released on the occasion.

The convention features invited lectures, technical paper presentations, and panel discussions on advanced materials, additive manufacturing, smart materials, and emerging technologies for strategic defence, nuclear, and space applications. The technical sessions will continue through 18 July 2026. Nearly 150 delegates from academia, industry, and research organizations across the country are participating in the convention and contributing to the technical deliberations.