SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Nov 7: The two-day 35th National Convention of Mining Engineers, along with a seminar on “Mining and Environment – Quo Vadis 2070,” commenced at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad on Friday. The event is being jointly organized by the Institution of Engineers (India) and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad at the Golden Jubilee Lecture Theatre (GJLT).
Ujjwal Tah, Director General of Mines Safety (DGMS), Dhanbad, inaugurated the convention as the chief guest, while IIT (ISM) Director Prof. Sukumar Mishra presided over the function. Manoj Kumar Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director of BCCL, and Suraj Gupta, Senior Vice President of Birla Corporation Limited, attended as guests of honour.
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Focus on Sustainable and Inclusive Mining
Addressing the gathering, Ujjwal Tah emphasized that while mining has been instrumental in driving human progress, its long-term sustainability now hinges on the integration of technology, scientific innovation, and environmental sensitivity.
He called for a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach, urging all stakeholders to adopt transparent, inclusive, and safety-oriented practices. Tah also encouraged greater participation of women in the mining sector to ensure diversity and inclusivity.
Presentation of Awards
Earlier, Prof. Dheeraj Kumar, Deputy Director of IIT (ISM) and Chairman of IEI Dhanbad Local Centre, welcomed the delegates, while Prof. Biswajit Paul, Head of the Centre for Mining Environment, introduced the seminar’s theme. A commemorative souvenir marking the occasion was also released.
Prestigious awards were presented to Prof. Khanindra Pathak of IIT Kharagpur and Niladri Roy, Director (Technical) of ECL and BCCL, who received the Mining Engineer Awards. The IEI Young Engineer Award (2025–26) was conferred on Dr. Siddhartha Roy of CMPDIL, Ranchi.
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Celebrating 100 Years of Mining Education
To mark a century of mining education in India, a pre-centenary heritage tour of the IIT (ISM) campus, featuring Rolls Royce vintage cars, was organized earlier in the day.
The technical sessions began with the Prof. S.K. Bose Memorial Lecture, followed by deliberations on emerging mining frontiers and recent regulatory developments, setting the tone for two days of in-depth discussions on the future of sustainable mining.
