WeldFab Tech Awards/Honouring Brilliance in Fabrication

WeldFab Tech Awards

Next Edition5th Edition — WeldFab Tech Awards 2028Pune

▸ Previous Edition · 23 January 2026 · 4th Edition▸ JW Marriott Hotel, Bengaluru

WeldFab Tech Times, India's only welding magazine, proudly presents the prestigious WeldFab Tech Awards — celebrating excellence and innovation in welding and fabrication.

// About the awards

Recognising the best in welding & fabrication

Across editions, the WeldFab Tech Awards have honoured the innovators, entrepreneurs, welders, engineers, and organisations pushing the Indian fabrication industry forward. An independent jury of subject-matter experts evaluates every nomination against category-specific criteria.

// Categories

Award Categories

Find the right category, then nominate yourself or a colleague whose work deserves it

// Take part

Why Nominate?

Recognition

Be recognized on a national and international level for your achievements.

Credibility

An award enhances your credibility and professional reputation.

Networking

Expand your network and connect with industry leaders.

Employee Morale

Boost employee morale and improve retention within your team.

New Opportunities

Winning awards can help open doors to new business opportunities.

Organizational Growth

Support your organization's efforts and celebrate achievements.

Enquire Now

Not ready to nominate yet? Tell us which category you're looking at and we'll get back to you.

// Nominate Now

Nominate Your Favorite Category

Join an elite community of innovators and leaders. Be recognized on a platform that celebrates welding and fabrication excellence.

Nominee Fee

₹4,200 + 18% GST

₹4,956

Total amount · per category

// Delegate Registration

Book Your Delegate Seat

Reserve your delegate seat today and become part of an evening that honors innovation in welding and fabrication excellence.

Delegate Fee

₹2,000 + 18% GST

₹2,360

Total amount · per delegate

// In partnership with

Knowledge Partners

// Presented by

Title Sponsors

// Powered by

Powered By

// Gold tier

Gold Sponsors

// Silver tier

Silver Sponsors

// With thanks to

Esteemed Sponsors

// Precision partners

Laser Sponsors

// The panel

Jury Members

Nominations are judged by an independent panel of industry experts.

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Dr. Bijayani Panda

Ph.D, IIT Kanpur

Dr. Bijayani Panda completed her Ph.D degree in the year 2008 from the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Indian Institute Technology Kanpur. She developed a corrosion resistant rail for the Indian Railways during her Ph.D. This rail was successfully manufactured and put to service by the Indian Railways in corrosion prone areas of the country. After her Ph.D she worked in EWAC Alloys, a wholly owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro and later she worked in the Failure Analysis Division of CSIR- National Aerospace Laboratories. She joined CMR Institute of Technology in 2014 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2016. She worked at CMRIT till November 2022. She is presently working independently as a freelance consultant. Her areas of specialization are corrosion, metallurgical failure analysis and welding metallurgy. While at CMRIT, she has received grants from funding agencies like Department of Science and Technology, (Government of India) and Naval Research Board (Ministry of Defence, Government of India) for pursuing industry relevant projects. She has published academic papers in many international journals and conference proceedings. During her 13+ years of professional experience, she has collaborated with various organizations like NAL, Tata Steel and GTRE.

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Dr. K S Pujari

Professor & Head, Mech Dept, Chief Promoter - WRC

Dr. K S Pujari is a Professor & Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Chief Promoter of the Welding Research Center. He brings over 25 years of teaching experience and 10 years of research experience, with specialization in welding of Aluminium-based aerospace materials. His expertise includes optimization of process parameters and quality improvement of Arc welding. Research Highlights: - AICTE, New Delhi: "Optimization of process parameters and improving quality of Arc welding" - VTU, Belagavi: "Weldability studies on Aluminium alloy (7xxx) using TIG Arc Welding" - KCTU, Bengaluru: "Welding Research Center" - K-Tech NAIN, Bengaluru: "New Age Incubation Network (NAIN)" Start-up Projects: - Belgaum Foundry Cluster (BFC) & TATA Technologies: "Friction stir welding of nonferrous alloys on conventional Milling machine" - Catalyse Tech 2022, Karnataka GCoE-ACE IIT Dharwad: "Design and fabrication of water cooling system for overhead tank in North Karnataka using traditional technique" Publications: - 8 journal papers in National and International Journals - 4 conference papers Professional Development: - Participated in 20+ FDPs, STTPs, and workshops - Completed course on "Material Processing and Deep Learning AI" from Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Qualifications: - M.Tech, Ph.D, MIE (Member of Institution of Engineers)

Dr. P.V. Venkitakrishnan

Former Director, ISRO Propulsion Complex

Dr. P.V. Venkitakrishnan graduated with a Master’s and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Madras in 1989 and 2006, respectively. His PhD is in Aluminium alloys welding. He obtained his B.Tech. from Cochin University in 1983. He also holds an MBA & Post-Graduate Diploma in Production Management to his credit from Annamalai University. He started his career as a Grade Scientist in 1983 in VSSC through campus recruitment. Over the course of his career, he has contributed significantly in aerospace-related manufacturing and materials, as well as in infrastructure development. Previously, he was Deputy Director, LPSC during 2010 to 2015, and Deputy Project Director, GSLV Mk-III from 2002 to 2010. He held the post of Associate Director, VSSC before taking over as Director, ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri. He is former National President of the Society of Aerospace Manufacturing Engineers (SAME). He was instrumental in setting up the HAL Aerospace Division in the development phase of PSLV Programme, and has contributed significantly in the developmental phase of hardware for ASLV, PSLV, GSLV Mk-II and Mk-III. He was also instrumental in initiating the establishment of the Integrated Cryo-Engine Manufacturing Facility (ICMF) at HAL, Bangalore, and in the introduction of latest technologies and practices. Under his able leadership, the Cryogenic Engines for GSLV Mk-2 and GSLV Mk-3 were developed and realized. The LAM engine for the prestigious Mangalyaan was also realised and tested under his leadership. Also associated with Chandrayaan 1 & 2 missions. The efforts taken by him for the indigenisation of aerospace metallic materials is noteworthy. He has various affiliations with professional bodies, including as Fellow of Institute of Engineers (India), Fellow of Indian Institute of Metals and Aeronautical Society of India. He is a recipient of ISRO’s individual Merit Award in 2013, Team Leader – ISRO for 2012 to 2015, Performance Excellence Award for the year 2011 and Life time achievement award from SAME in 2020. He is a distinguished alumnus of IIT Madras and recipient of the National Metallurgist Award from the Ministry of Steel, Govt of India. He is also National Council Member of Institution of Engineers (India) and Chairman of the Aerospace Division Board. He has more than 100 publications in national and international journals. He is an inspirational leader and team builder with effective communication, motivational and administrative skills. Currently he is also Professor of Practice in IIT Madras, Advisor for Agnikul Cosmos, Chennai and also Space Science Educator, Mentor, Motivational Speaker.

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SM MAHAJAN

President, Asian Welding Federation, Secy Gen, India Energy Forum, Former Exec Dir. BHEL and President Indian Welding Society

Sh SM Mahajan is a Mechanical Engineer from Delhi Technological Institute (formerly DCE) and M.Tech in Management & Systems from IIT, Delhi. He served in BHEL for 39 years in various capacities, functions and units before superannuating as Executive Director. He handled Manufacturing Technology Up-gradation, Investment Planning, Modernization of Manufacturing Facilities in various BHEL units, New Products Developement, Material Management & Operation Management, He was associated with establishing manufacturing capabilities for Nuclear Power Eequipment in BHEL units. He attended Management Courses from Leeds University, Harward and IIM. He travelled extensively on look out of emerging Manufacturing Technologies and Equipment and was particularly responsible in introducing High-Tech eequipment, Robotic and Laser applications in BHEL units Post BHEL, he continued to engage with the manufacturing industry guiding them in business development and manufacturing capabilities- in fabrication industry for Power, Infrastructure and Aviation sectors. He served as an Industry Expert with two banks for evaluation of large Investments and due diligence of the companies He was associated with Ministry of Electronics and IT as Expert in evaluation and recommendation of R&D proposals in area of Electronic System Development and their application in various sectors . He guided several projects for their successfully completion and application.

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Dr. Subho Bhattacharya

Welding Consultant | Former Head, R&D - Esab India

Dr. Subho Bhattacharya holds a Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering from IIT Bombay. His early career began in project management before he transitioned into the welding industry, where he has amassed over four decades of rich experience. His expertise lies in the development and selection of welding consumables for critical applications. He served as Head of R&D and Quality at Esab India Ltd. (formerly Philips India – Welding Division), where he played a significant role in product innovation and quality systems. After retiring from Esab, he founded his own techno-managerial consultancy, providing technical guidance in welding processes, quality assurance, and safety management systems aligned with ISO standards. Over the years, Dr. Bhattacharya has established quality systems for nearly fifty organizations across diverse industries and audited around a hundred as an accredited auditor for Det Norske Veritas (DNV). He continues to serve as a retainer consultant for several welding companies, offering strategic and technical expertise. An accomplished author, he has published numerous technical papers in both national and international journals and contributed to several books on metallurgy and welding. He has served as Editor-in-Chief of a leading techno-commercial publication for over three decades and is an approved examiner for the M.Tech program in Metallurgy at IIT Bombay. A life member of multiple professional bodies, Dr. Bhattacharya has chaired various sessions at national and international conferences, maintaining an active presence in the academic and industrial welding communities.

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Ravi Kumar Thammana

CEO - Trinity NDT WeldSolutions Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore Vice President (South), IIW India

Ravi Kumar Thammana is the co-founder and CEO of Trinity NDT WeldSolutions Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore — a NADCAP-accredited aerospace NDT lab and ISO/IEC 17025 NABL accredited testing facility. An International Welding Engineer (IWE) certified by the International Institute of Welding (IIW), he also holds ASNT NDT Level III certifications in multiple methods including UT, RT, PT, MT, ET, and VT, as well as NAS410 Level 3 for Aerospace NDT. With over two decades of experience, he has trained and audited numerous organizations in welding and nondestructive testing across sectors such as aerospace, automotive, pressure vessels, pipelines, and structural components. As a Radiological Safety Officer certified by AERB-BARC, Mumbai, he ensures high standards in radiation safety for NDT operations. Mr. Thammana serves as the Vice President (South) of The Indian Institute of Welding (IIW India) and holds key roles including Training Management Board Member and Course Director for ISNT Chennai. He is a Past Vice Chairman of ISNT Bengaluru and has been a vital contributor to professional societies such as The Indian Institute of Metals and the Aeronautical Society of India. He is the founder-trainer at Trinity Institute of NDT Technology, with training centers in India and international presence in PNG, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, and the Middle East. He also works as an external responsible welding coordinator for ISO 3834 and EN 15085 certified companies, and consults on welding quality systems across India and abroad. Ravi Kumar is also involved in academia and skill development, serving as guest faculty for MSME and the Foreman Training Institute under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India. He frequently contributes as a jury member for India Skills competitions and collaborates with various engineering institutes and R&D centers to promote welding and NDT technologies.