World Environment Day (WED) 2025 was celebrated on 05.06.2025 by the Institution of Engineers (India), Assam State Centre in association with AARANYAK, a reputed NGO working on Environment and related issues. IEI ASC celebrated WED 2025 with two sessions - an outreach programme in the morning hours and a popular talk programme at its own premises in the evening hours on this year’s focal theme “Beat Plastic Pollution”.
In the morning hours, an outreach program was organized at “SHISHU SAROTHI”, a non-profit organization working with children with disabilities since 1987 located at Birubari, Guwahati, Kamrup (Metro), Assam.
In the program at SHISHU SAROTHI, its officials viz., Mrs. Ketaki Bardali Executive Director, Mrs. Mridula Baruah Deputy Director Equitable Education for all, Mrs. Mira Saikia Deputy Director Early Intervention unit, Mr. Kandarpa Nath Coordinator along with a good number of Teachers and Students had participated.
Many Committee members of IEI ASC viz., Er. Mahesh Barkataki FIE Chairman of IEI, Assam State Centre, Er. Monojit Mishra FIE Hony. Secretary, Er. Bhaben Kalita FIE, Er. Shantanu Choudhury MIE Jt. Hony Secy, Er. Amitava Nath FIE were also present in the programme to interact with the participants and made them aware about the significance of WED. Plantation of tree saplings, Extempore Speech and Drawing Competition were also arranged among the students on the occasion.
In the evening hours, the program arranged at IEI ASC was attended by a large number of corporate members and Engineers of the Centre as well as officials of AARANYAK. Prof. Hari Prasad Sarma, Former HoD, Environmental Science, Gauhati University and Er. Ankuran Pathak, Assistant Executive Engineer, Pollution Control Board, Assam delivered popular lectures on the theme as appointed speakers. Prof. Sarma gave a detail account of Indian Environmental Scenario while Er. Ankuran Pathak presented the problem of plastic pollution along with the challenges and mitigation technique to beat plastic pollution with the help of their respective Power Point presentations. Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Secretary General and CEO of AARANYAK also delivered a nice speech on the focal theme of the programme.
The program was chaired by Er. M. Barkataki FIE Chairman IEI ASC and Er. Monojit Mishra FIE Hony. Secretary welcomed the appointed speakers and the audience present.
Dr. N.N. Patwari FIE Past Chairman IEI ASC felicitated Prof. Hari Prasad Sarma while Er. P. Adhikari Past Chairman IEI ASC felicitated Er. Ankuran Pathak. In the meeting, the quarterly News Bulletin of the Centre was released by the dignitaries to commemorate the event. ER. Shantanu Choudhury MIE Jt. Hony. Secy. offered formal vote of thanks. The program witnessed a very vibrant and lively interaction among the speakers and the audience.
The Assam State Centre of the Institution of Engineers (India) celebrated the “World Telecommunication and Information Society Day” (WTISD) on 17th May 2025 in its own premises at Panbazar, Guwahati.
The event was presided over by Er. Mahesh Barkataki, FIE Chairman, IEI, Assam State Centre and the welcome address was delivered by Er. Monojit Mishra, FIE Hony. Secretary, IEI ASC. It was followed by a speech on the significance of the day by Er. Amitava Nath, FIE Past Hony. Secretary, IEI, ASC. After that, Er. Pulak Sarmah, FIE Past Hony. Secretary introduced the appointed speaker Dr. Kaustubh Bhattacharyya, Associate Professor, Assam Skill University to the Audience while Er. G.N. Khound, FIE Past Chairman felicited the speaker. The meeting was started by lighting of the ceremonial lamp.
Participating as appointed speaker on this year’s theme “Gender Equality in Digital Transformation”, Dr. Bhattacharyya elaborated through his power point presentation about significance of WTISD in details. He also presented an overview of Digital Transformation, Gender Equality, Why Telecommunication Matters, Evolution of Telecommunication from Telegraph to Smartphones, etc. He further highlighted about how Telecommunication transform lives and the technologies that would shape our future. He also emphasized on actions to be taken to achieve gender equality in Digital Transformation.
After that, the Chairman of IEI, ASC Er. M. Barkataki, FIE summed up the deliberations of the appointed speaker and expressed his happiness on the presentations delivered by the speaker.
The event came to an end with a formal vote of thanks offered by Er. Shantanu Choudhury, MIE, Joint Hony. Secretary IEI, ASC.
The Assam State Centre of Institutions of Engineer (India) in association with Pollution Control Board, Assam as co-organizer and other sponsoring organizations celebrated “World Water Day 2025” on 22nd March 2025 at its own premises Panbazar with a daylong programme.
The inaugural session of the event was presided over by the immediate past Chairman of the Centre, Dr. Nripendra Nath Patwari, FIE. The session started with the welcome address delivered by Er. Monojit Mishra, FIE, Hony. Secretary of the Centre.
The Chief Guest & the Keynote Speaker were felicitated by Dr. Arup Kumar Mishra, FIE & Dr. Sashindra Kumar Kakoty, FIE former Chairmen of IEI, ASC respectively. This was followed by inauguration of World Water Day 2025 by lighting of ceremonial lamp by the invited distinguished guests. Er. Shantanu Choudhury, MIE, Organizing Secretary of the event delivered a speech on the significance of World Water Day.
Participating as a Keynote Speaker in the meeting, Prof. Dr. Sudip Kumar Mitra, Head & Professor at the School of Agro and Rural Technology, IIT Guwahati told that, Glaciers were source of water and we all had a critical role in preserving glaciers which maintain the balance of entire earth’s ecosystem. He also told that accelerated melting of Glaciers had created enormous pressures on water resources as a result of which we are losing day by day much of Glaciers. He further showed the projected result of melting of Glaciers by the year 2100 which is very scary. He emphasized for preservation of Glaciers which is not the responsibility of engineers only but of every individual. He stressed on maintaining the balance between biodiversity and natural resource management for effective preservation of Glaciers for better sustainability.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Guest of the session, Lt. General Rana Pratap Kalita (Retd.) said that the world is facing water crisis as 2.2 billion of people across the globe are living without access to safe water. He appealed to take necessary steps for preservation of Glacier by reducing Greenhouse emissions, promoting sustainable energy and implementing policies aimed at conserving natural resources.
A Souvenir cum Technical Volume commemorating the event and quarterly News Letter of the Centre were released in the function by the dignitaries present. The inaugural session came to an end with formal vote of thanks offered by Er. Shantanu Choudhury, MIE, Joint Hony. Secretary of the Centre.
A popular talk was organized on the occasion of World Engineering Day 2025 by IEI, Assam State Centre on 4th March 2025 at the Golden Jubilee Lecture Theatre. The meeting was presided over by Er. Mahesh Barkataki FIE, Chairman, IEI, ASC. Er. Monojit Mishra, FIE, Hony. Secretary welcomed the gathering and spoke about the significance of the day. He also introduced the speaker Dr. Manoj Kumar Das, Retd. DGM (NEDFi) to the audience. Dr. Sashindra Kumar Kakoty, FIE and Prof. (Dr.) Nripendra Nath Patwari, FIE, both former Chairman of IEI, ASC felicitated the Speaker.
Er. Manoj Kumar Das delivered the talk on “Unleashing the Power of Engineers to Advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” with a power point presentation, started with the role of engineers in sustainable development. Er. Das said that the 2025 theme focuses on how engineers drive innovation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring a greener, more equitable future without robbing our future generations of their resources and environment.
Er. Manoj Kumar Das also pointed out that engineers design and implement solutions for clean energy, climate resilience, sustainable infrastructure and more, directly impacting the SDGs. He also emphasized that key SDGs for engineers are clean water & sanitation; affordable & clean energy; industry, innovation & infrastructure; sustainable cities & communities and climate action. He further urged the engineers to play a key role in decarbonization, AI-driven sustainability, space exploration and building communities for the future.
The talk was well received by the corporate members present and they had a very vibrant interactive session after the talk was over.
Er. Shantanu Choudhury, MIE, Jt. Hony. Secretary offered the formal vote of thanks to the gathering.
National Science Day 2025 was observed by the Institution of Engineers (India), Assam State Centre at the premises of Narakashur Junior Basic School, Kahilipara, Guwahati-19 on 5th March’2025. Due to some technical constraint the same could not be observed on 28th of February 2025. The meeting was attended by teachers, students & members of School Management & Development Committee of the school along with Er. Mahesh Barkataki FIE, Chairman, Er. Monojit Mishra FIE, Hony. Secretary, Er. Shantanu Choudhury MIE, Joint Hony. Secretary and Er. Bhaben Kalita FIE, former Hony. Secretary of IEI, ASC.
The meeting was presided over by Er. Mahesh Barkataki. Er. Monojit Mishra, Hony. Secretary of the Centre explained briefly the significance & importance of the National Science Day. He also elaborated the role and function of IEI, Assam State Centre. Participating as an appointed speaker, Mr. Satya Deka, Member, Narkashur Junior Basic School Management and Development Committee talked about scientific basis of various activities in our day-to-day life and emphasized the importance of scientific temper among the students from the Childhood. Thirty-four nos. of Students demonstrated their scientific models which were of very good standard. Also, an interactive session was held where ten no. of students spoke about the significance of National Science Day.
Mrs. Dipika Devi, Headmistress of the School called upon the students to concentrate wholeheartedly on studies and utilize the various facilities provided by the Govt. of Assam in schools which are free of cost so that they can excel in their future life.
After the function is over, a documentory of Kaziranga National Park was screened for the benefit of the students & teachers of the school as well as other members.
Er. Shantanu Choudhury MIE, Jt. Hony. Secretary offered the formal vote of thanks the gathering.
Like in previous year the Institution of Engineers (India), ASC celebrated Royal Charter Day on 9th September, 2025 at its New Annex Auditorium Hall. The meeting presided over by the Er. Mahesh Barkataki FIE, Chairman of the Centre started with welcome address given by Er. Monojit Misra FIE, Hony. Secretary of the Centre. In his welcome address, Hony. Secretary nicely highlighted the significance in respect of the observation of the historic day
Participating in the event as Appointed Speaker Er. Pulak Sarmah, FIE, Immediate Past Honorary Secretary of the Centre has spoken in details about incorporation of IEI by Royal Charter through a very attractive power-point presentation. He mentioned that, A Royal Charter is a document that grants independent legal status to an organization and issued by a Monarch under the Royal prerogative. It defines the organizations’ objective, power and constitution.
The Institution of Engineers (India)was established in 1920 and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1935, a historic landmark milestone in the history of Engineering. The grant of Royal Charter took place on 9th September 1935 at the court of Buckingham Palace by his Majesty King and Emperor George V. The prestigious Charter granted to the Institution a unique status and power to promote the advancement of Engineering and Technology to the Country, recognizing its role in developing and maintaining high standard in the field. Further Article 372 of the Constitution of India secures the Institutions status by recognizing it as a statutory body empowering it to maintain standard, conduct examination, award qualification in Engineering, thereby ensuring the Institution’s continued relevance and authority in the field of Engineering.
Speaking on history of the Institution of Engineers (India), the speaker has mentioned that IEI was established in 1920 in Madras (now Chennai) with Thomas R. J. Ward being the founding President. It was formally inaugurated in 1921 by Lord Chemsford, the then Viceroy of British India. On 19th December 1930, the then Viceroy Lord Irwin, laid the foundation stone for IEI’s building at Kolkata. The organization moved into the building on 1st January 1932.
The interaction session with the member present was very vibrant and praiseworthy. The meeting came to an end with the formal vote of thanks offered by Er. Suradas Bhattacharjee, MIE, Committee Member of the IEI, ASC.
The Institution of Engineers (India), Assam State Centre celebrated 58th Engineers’ Day on 15.09.2024 in its Panbazar premises on the focal theme “Deep Tech & Engineering Excellence: Driving India’s Techade "
The celebration started in the morning at 10:00 O’ clock by offering floral tribute to the bust of Sir M. Visvesvaraya by Chairman Er. Mahesh Barkataki, FIE, Hony. Secretary Er. Monojit Mishra, FIE & other corporate members.
In the evening, a Central Program was organized under the Presidentship of Er. Mahesh Barkataki, FIE, Chairman of the Centre. The programme started at 6.00 pm with welcome address delivered by Er. Monojit Mishra, FIE, Honorary Secretary, IEI, ASC followed by lighting of ceremonial lamp and paying floral tribute to Sir M. Visvesvaraya. Introduction of appointed speaker by Dr. Plaban Bora, MIE and felicitation of the speaker. Dr. Chandan Karfa, Associate Professor Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Guwahati delivered a speech on the focal theme as appointed speaker. Dr. Karfa also highlighted on the present scenario of AI and its impact in future. He elaborated the biggest innovation in mankind, evolution of internet, smart phones, social media, cloud computing, e-commerce, digital media, etc.
Er. Nuruzzaman, Past Hony. Secretary of the Centre spoke on the Life and achievement of Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya highlighting some memorable events. On this occasion, 7 (seven) eminent engineers of IEI, ASC were felicitated for their outstanding contribution in the field of engineering. This programme was conducted by Er. Gokul Bhuyan, FIE.
Also, the quarterly published News Letter Vol.13 No. 03 of IEI, ASC edited by Er. G.N. Khound, FIE was released by the speaker Dr. Chandan Karfa on the occasion. The programme witnessed a very vibrant and lively interaction among the speaker which the audience and came to an end with the formal vote of thanks offered by Er. Shantanu Choudhury, MIE, Jt. Hony. Secretary.
The Institution of Engineers (India), Assam State Centre, celebrated the World Standards Day 2025 on 14th October 2025 at its Golden Jubilee Lecture Theatre, Panbazar premises. The meeting presided over by the Chairman of the centre, Er. Mahesh Barkataki FIE and welcome address was given by the Honorary Secretary Er. Monojit Mishra FIE.
Participating as appointed speaker on the theme “Shared vision for a better world : Spotlight on SDG 17-Partnership for the Goals”, Dr. Sashindra Kumar Kakoty, FIE, Prof. Mechanical Engineering Department, IIT Guwahati elaborated through his power point presentation about the significance of World Standards Day in details. Dr. Kakoty has highlighted with examples that the Standards is a cornerstone for extending partnership and it definitely helps in accomplishing SDG-17 to foster partnership.
After that, the Chairman of IEI-ASC summoned up the deliberations of the appointed speaker and expressed his happiness on the presentation. The event came to an end with a formal vote of thanks offered by Er. Suradas Bhattacharjee MIE, Member of IEI, ASC.
The 67th Annual General Meeting of the Assam State Centre of IEI was held on 29th October 2025 AT 6.00 pm. The meeting was attended by a large number of Corporate Members, including some Past Chairmen and Honorary Secretaries. The meeting was presided over by Er. Mahesh Barkataki, FIE, Chairman. The Honorary Secretary Er. Monojit Mishra, FIE welcomed the august gathering. The minutes of the last 66th AGM report was read out by the Hony. Secretary and it was confirmed and approved unanimously by the meeting. The annual report on various activities of IEI (ASC) & the audited accounts of the year 2024-2025 were also presented by Er. Monojit Mishra FIE, Honorary Secretary of the Centre and the same was also approved by the house. The meeting also approved to retain the service of the existing C.A. Firm (Auditor) for financial year 2025-26 at per the existing rate of fees.
The results of the election pertaining to the State Committee for the years 2025-26 & 2026-27 were announced in the meeting. The members elected for the session 2025-26 & 2026-27 are
Chairman
Er. Bhaben Kalita F-130706- 8 (contested)
Honorary Secretary
Er. Gokul Bhuyan F-124322- 1 (uncontested)
Agriculture Engineering (AG) :1 seat
Er. Dilip Kumar Sarma M-139316-7 (uncontested)
Chemical Engineering (CH) : 1 seat
Er. Dr. Plaban Bora M-165782-2 (uncontested)
Civil Engineering (CV) : 3 seats
1. Er. Jayanta Kumar Medhi F-129268-0
2. Er. Subha Brata Sarma F-114502-5 (uncontested)
3. Er. Dilip Sarmah F-130215-5
Electronics & Telecommunication (ET) : 1 Seat
Er. Satyajyoti Nath AM-161721-7 (uncontested)
Environment Engineering (EN) : 1 Seat
Dr. Sharad Bhaurao Gokhale F-117137-9 (uncontested)
Electrical Engineering Division
1. Er. Trailokya Bora F-123749-3 (contested)
2. Er. Jatin Bordoloi F-129713-5 (contested)
Mechanical Engineering Division
1. Er. Hemendra Kr Barman M-162891-1 (contested)
2. Er. Suradas Bhattacharjee M-169074-9 (contested)
The new State Committee headed by Er. Bhaben Kalita, FIE as Chairman and Er. Gokul Bhuyan, FIE as Hony. Secretary took over the charge from the retiring committee. Er. Bhaben Kalita in his address emphasized the need for more lively activities in the Centre and appealed to the members to come up with new ideas and suggestions for such activities. He also sought active cooperation of the corporate members to the new State Committee and requested the corporate members to participate in all the programmes and activities of the Centre. Er. M. Barkataki in his remarks commended the honorary Secretary and all the committee members for their unwavering support and emphasized the active participation of the corporate members in all the events and extended his heartfelt gratitude to all the corporate Members for their co-operation and guidance for carrying out the activities during the sessions in his tenure.
Er. Monojit Mishra, FIE, Honorary Secretary offered a formal vote of thanks to the Chairman and all the members attending the AGM.
The Institution of Engineers (India), Assam State Centre, Guwahati celebrated its 68th Foundation Day and conducted 20th Hari Prasad Barua Memorial lecture to commemorate its founder Chairman Late Er. Hari Prasad Barua on 28th November, 2025 in the Auditorium Hall of the Centre.
The celebration started with the welcome address by Er. Suradas Bhattacharjee, MIE, the Jt. Honorary Secretary, Institution of Engineers (India), Assam State Centre followed by lighting of ceremonial lamp and paying floral tribute to the founder Chairman of the Centre, Late Er. Hari Prasad Barua. Then, the introduction of guest speaker, Dr. Vimal Katiyar Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute Technology, Guwahati was very nicely given by Er. Monojit Mishra, FIE Immediate past Honorary Secretary of IEI ASC followed by felicitation of the guest speaker. The speech on the life and achievements of late Hari Prasad Barua was elaborately presented by Er. Subha Brata Sarmah, FIE, Member of IEI ASC which could draw the attention of the audience present in the function very much.
Later on, the Satyendra Sarmah & Gokul Chandra Goswami memorial award giving ceremony was nicely conducted by Er. Jayanta Kumar Medhi, FIE, Member of IEI ASC. The Satyendra Sarmah & Gokul Chandra Goswami memorial awards are given to the best engineering graduate & best electrical engineering graduate respectively of Assam Science & Technology University, Guwahati. The recipients of these two prestigious awards for the year 2025 were Mr. Soumodeep Biswash from Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering of Barak Valley Engineering College, Karimganj and Sahil Akhtar from Department of Electrical Engineering of Bineswar Brahma Engineering College, Kokrajhar respectively. Er. Medhi also delivered brief speech on the life and achievements of both the Satyendra Sarmah & Gokul Chandra Goswami.
The appointed speaker, Dr. Vimal Katiyar delivered his speech on the theme “Plastic Pollution and its Remediation through Sustainable Practices” in a very captivating manner. The interactive session was also very much interesting and well acclaimed by a large number of corporate members present.
The meeting was chaired by Er. Bhaben Kalita, FIE, Chairman of IEI, ASC and he conducted the event in very systematic and orderly manner. He also delivered the closing remarks covering all activities of the event. Further he emphasized on strengthening the centre by increasing member attracting the young engineers to enroll as member of IEI. Further he focused on Infrastructural development of the centre.
Er. Suradas Bhattacharjee, MIE, Jt. Hony. Secy. offered the formal vote of thanks .The programme was successful in terms of its objectives.
The Institution of Engineers (India), Assam State Centre (IEI-ASC), in association with the Indian Buildings Congress, Assam State Centre (IBC-ASC), jointly organized a Zonal Technical Seminar on the theme “Sustainable Built Environment” on 7th December 2025 (Sunday) at the Auditorium of IEI-ASC, Panbazar, Guwahati-1. The seminar was conducted as a day-long technical programme and witnessed enthusiastic participation from engineering professionals across the North-Eastern region.
The technical seminar commenced with an inaugural session graced by distinguished dignitaries on the dais, including Er. Chinmoy Debnath, President, IBC and Past President, IEI; Er. (Dr.) Toli Basar, Chairman, IBC North-Eastern Zonal Committee; Er. Bhaben Kalita, Chairman, IEI-ASC; Er. Dilip Deka, Chairman, IBC-ASC; and Er. Raj Chakraborty, Special Commissioner & Secretary to the Government of Assam, PWD (NH & Buildings).
At the outset, Er. Pulak Sarmah, Honorary Secretary, IBC-ASC, welcomed the dignitaries and participants and briefed the house about the objectives and significance of the jointly organized zonal technical seminar. On behalf of the organizers, Er. Gokul Bhuyan, FIE, Honorary Secretary, IEI-ASC, felicitated all the dignitaries on the dais with traditional Assamese phulam gamocha.
In their addresses, Er. Chinmoy Debnath, Er. (Dr.) Toli Basar, and Er. Raj Chakraborty appreciated and lauded the joint initiative of IEI-ASC and IBC-ASC in promoting professional knowledge sharing on contemporary engineering themes. Er. R. K. Mozumdar, Vice-Chairman, IBC North-Eastern Zonal Committee, also addressed the gathering and emphasized the relevance of sustainable practices in the built environment. Delegates from almost all North-Eastern states, except Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Sikkim, participated in good numbers.
Er. Bhaben Kalita, Chairman, IEI-ASC, highlighted the importance and timeliness of the seminar theme and assured the gathering that similar joint technical programmes would be organized in the future as well. Er. Dilip Deka, Chairman, IBC-ASC, expressed his gratitude to IEI-ASC for collaborating in organizing the seminar and thanked all stakeholders for their support.
Technical Session :
The Technical Session featured insightful presentations on contemporary and relevant sub-themes related to sustainable infrastructure development. Er. Kushanabh Baruah, a young engineering consultant and executive of Reliant Foundation Pvt. Ltd., delivered an impressive presentation on “PQC Excellence: Quality Assurance in Modern Pavements.” Er. R. K. Mozumdar, IAS (Retd.), from Tripura, deliberated in detail on “EPC Contracts,” highlighting practical challenges and implementation aspects. Er. Dilip Deka presented an engaging talk on “Green Buildings and Their Sustainability in India,” focusing on evolving concepts and best practices.
The session witnessed lively and interactive discussions between the speakers and participants, enriching the overall deliberations. The Technical Session was ably chaired by Er. (Dr.) Y. L. Singh, DGM, NPCC, who effectively moderated the discussions and concluded the session by summarizing the key deliberations in a comprehensive manner. Er. Gokul Bhuyan, FIE, Honorary Secretary, IEI-ASC, felicitated all the speakers and the session chair with traditional Assamese phulam gamocha on behalf of the organizers.
At the end of the programme, Er. Gokul Bhuyan, FIE, Honorary Secretary, IEI-ASC, proposed the formal vote of thanks, expressing sincere appreciation to all speakers, participants, dignitaries, and organizing committee members for their valuable contributions and cooperation, which ensured the successful conduct of the seminar. Finally, concluding the day-long seminar he invited all participants to join the lunch.
The Institution of Engineers (India), Assam State Centre (IEI,ASC), observed National Energy Conservation Day 2025 on 14th December, 2025 at its own premises with active participation of engineers, professionals, and members of the Centre.
National Energy Conservation Day is observed across the country every year on 14th December since 1991, with the objective of highlighting the growing importance of energy conservation, efficient utilization, energy conversion, and scientific energy management. In India, the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 was enacted to institutionalize energy efficiency initiatives, leading to the establishment of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power, Government of India. BEE, as a statutory body, plays a pivotal role in formulating policies and implementing strategies aimed at reducing the energy intensity of the Indian economy through a framework that emphasizes self-regulation, market-driven mechanisms, and sustainable development.
Energy forms the cornerstone of socio-economic development and environmental sustainability. The observance of National Energy Conservation Day serves as an important platform to sensitize citizens and professionals alike about the urgent need for responsible energy use, enhanced efficiency, and effective energy management practices. Energy conservation must be ingrained in individual and collective behaviour to minimize wastage and maximize output per unit of energy consumed, thereby contributing to long-term sustainability goals.
On this occasion, Er. Om Prasad Chetry, FIE, General Manager, IOCL Guwahati Refinery, delivered the keynote lecture on the theme “Illuminating the Path to Sustainability.” In his insightful and thought-provoking address, Er. Chetry emphasized the significance of green and renewable energy generation, efficient energy conversion systems, and integrated energy management strategies. He also highlighted the role of industry, innovation, and policy interventions in achieving sustainable development goals and India’s Net Zero Emission targets.
The keynote address was followed by an engaging interactive session, during which corporate members and participants actively contributed to discussions, sharing perspectives and practical insights on energy efficiency and sustainability.
The programme was presided over by Er. Bhaben Kalita, FIE, Chairman, IEI–ASC. Er. Gokul Bhuyan, FIE, Honorary Secretary, delivered the welcome address and outlined the relevance of the day in the present energy and environmental context. The invited speaker was formally introduced by Dr. Plaban Bora, MIE, Member, IEI–ASC. Er. Bhaben Kalita, FIE, Chairman, IEI–ASC in his concluding speech reaffirmed the Institution’s commitment towards promoting sustainable engineering practices for a greener and energy-efficient future. The session was concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Er. Gokul Bhuyan, FIE, Honorary Secretary. The event successfully reinforced the importance of energy conservation.
The Indian Engineering Congress (IEC) is the flagship annual event of the Institution of Engineers (India) [IEI], the largest multidisciplinary professional body of engineers in the country. The Congress serves as a premier platform for bringing together engineering professionals, academicians, industry leaders, policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders to deliberate on emerging issues, contemporary trends, and innovative solutions shaping the engineering landscape in India and across the globe.
The primary objectives of the Indian Engineering Congress are to promote engineering excellence, foster innovation and research, encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, support national development goals, recognise outstanding contributions of engineers and institutions through awards and honours, and facilitate professional networking.
The 40th Indian Engineering Congress was hosted by the Durgapur Local Centre of the Institution of Engineers (India) under the aegis of the West Bengal State Centre. The Congress was held from 19th to 21st December 2025 at the premises of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Durgapur. The theme of the Congress was “Innovative Engineering Solutions for Viksit Bharat @2047.”
The three-day Congress featured a wide range of academic, professional, and cultural programmes. Key highlights included the Inaugural Session, the 68th Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya Memorial Lecture, along with seven other Memorial Lectures, Glimpses of Engineering Personalities, IEI Industry Excellence Award, IEI Engineering Education Excellence Award, International Meet, IEI Alumni Meet, Women Engineers’ Meet, Prize Distribution Ceremony, Technical Exhibition, Cultural Programme, and the 106th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of IEI. In addition, several technical papers aligned with the focal theme were presented during the plenary sessions, contributing to rich technical deliberations and knowledge exchange. The memorial lectures, mostly dedicated to Viksit Bharat@2047, were delivered by the following luminaries-
Mr. Kishore Kumar (Aarvee Engineers & Consultants Ltd.) ; Mr. Satish Jha (Eastern Coalfield Ltd.) ;
Mr Sanjeev Singh (Reliance Ind., Group President, Former Chairman of IOCL); Mr S. Subbaraj (Steel Alloy Plant, SAIL) :Col. Lt. Rajneesh Kapur; Prof. Indraneel Manna (VC, BIT Mesra, former IIT Kanpur Director); Prof. Tapas Chakraborty (VC, Maulana Abul Kalam University); and Mr Praveen Kumar (DFC);
During the 106th Annual General Meeting, Er. Manish Mahendra Kothari, FIE (Maharashtra) assumed office as the President of the Institution of Engineers (India) for the session 2025–26, succeeding the outgoing President Er. V. B. Singh, FIE.
The Assam State Centre of IEI was represented by a strong contingent comprising of 11( eleven) corporate members and 2 ( two) spouses of corporate members namely Er. Bhaben Kalita, Chairman-cum-Council Member; Er. Mahesh Barkataki; Er. Gajendra Nath Khound; Er. Nuruzzaman; Er. Subha Brata Sarmah; Er. Dr. Sharad Bhaurao Gokhale; Er. Monojit Mishra; Er. Jayanta Kr. Medhi; Er. Dilip Sarmah; Er. Jatin Bordoloi; Er. Suradas Bhattacharjee, Joint Honorary Secretary; Ms. Shanta Khound,w/o Er. Gajendra Nath Khound;; and Ms. Reena Kalita, w/o Er. Bhaben Kalita. The participation of the Assam State Centre members contributed significantly to the success of the Congress and strengthened inter-state professional collaboration.
The 40th Indian Engineering Congress proved to be a highly enriching and forward-looking platform, fostering meaningful dialogue on innovative engineering solutions aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. The diverse technical deliberations, memorial lectures, exhibitions, and interactive sessions reinforced the pivotal role of engineers in driving sustainable development, technological advancement, and nation-building. The active participation of delegates from across the country, including the Assam State Centre, reflected the collective commitment of the engineering fraternity towards professional excellence, innovation, and collaborative growth. The Congress successfully strengthened professional bonds, inspired young and seasoned engineers alike, and reaffirmed the Institution of Engineers (India) as a key catalyst in shaping India’s engineering future.