The First Prof. A. K. Rao Memorial Talk

The decision of the Indian Society for Advancement of Materials and Process Engineering (ISAMPE) to institute a memorial lecture in memory of Prof A K Rao, who passed away on 10 December 2005, is laudable; Prof Rao was the guiding spirit behind the ISAMPE movement.

It was also appropriate to invite Dr Baldev Raj, Distinguished Scientist and Director, IGCAR, to deliver the first Prof A K Rao Memorial Lecture at NAL on 7 September 2006, especially because Prof A K Rao was his Ph.D. supervisor. Dr Baldev Raj spoke on "A perspective on nuclear energy in India -- Achievements and challenges in materials science and technology." In a well-articulated lecture, Dr Baldev Raj explained why nuclear energy via the fast breeder reactor route was the best option for India in the long run.

Dr A R Upadhya, Director, NAL, presided over the meeting and paid a moving tribute to Prof A K Rao: "He was an icon for so many of us. He had so many marvellous gifts. I was continually amazed by his ability to extract so much information from an apparently straight-forward X-Y plot!"

Dr P D Mangalagiri, President ISAMPE welcomed the gathering. Dr Ramesh
Sundaram, Secretary, proposed the vote of thanks.