Padmavibhushan Padmabhushan Prof. M. M. Sharma

Professor Man Mohan Sharma is a legend in India, a living encyclopaedia of Chemical Engineering, Technology, and Industry. He is one of the most decorated engineers, having attained an image larger than life having hundreds of admirers. Born on May 1, 1937, to parents of modest income in the State of Rajasthan, his life's story is very enthralling and mesmerizing. He earned Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (1958) from Bombay University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT) (now the Institute of Chemical Technology) (1958) and MSc (Tech) (960), and thereafter PhD (Chemical Engineering) (1964) from Cambridge University in 1963. At the age of 27, he was appointed as Professor of Chemical Engineering by the University of Bombay (Mumbai) and went on to become the Director of UDCT, the first Chemical Engineering Professor to do so from UDCT. He is currently the Emeritus Professor of Eminence at ICT.

He is an institution in himself, being one of the most decorated alumni of the University of Mumbai whose life's mission has been to serve the profession of chemical sciences, engineering, and technology. Teaching, research and professional service have been his passion and he has done yeomen service to industry and government on matters vital to the growth of science and technology, industry, education and nation at large. The scroll of his awards, honours and decorations is countless; to name a few:

Honorary doctorates by 5 IITs including Bombay, Delhi, Kharagpur, Roorkee and BHU; and also, by Shahu Maharajaji University, Kanpur, Bundelkhand University and Calcutta University. LL. D. by University of Mumbai and naming of the library after him (1997); Moulten Medals of the I.Chem. E. (UK.;1971,77), S.S. Bhatnagar Prize (1973), Fellow of all National Science Academies, President, Indian National Science Academy(1989-90), Vishwakarma Medal (1985), Meghnad Saha Medal (1994), Sir J. C. Bose Memorial Lecture (1994), Fellow, Royal Society, London (1990) and its Leverhulme Medal (1996), G.M. Modi Science Award (1991), Swarn Jayanti Fellowship (1997), H.K. Firodia Award (1999), Millennium Man of the Chemical Industry (2000), Life Time Achievement Awards of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (2001) and Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (2002), Indian Chemical Council (2012), Millennium Award of Indian Science Congress Association (2003), Kothari Professor and Hon. Fellow, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (2003). MMS, the unstoppable chemical engineer and teacher par excellence, has brought international accolades to the Indian Chemical Engineering Profession and the University of Mumbai. He is the only engineer from the university system from India to be honoured as a Fellow of the Royal Society. He guided 71 doctorates and 35 master's students and published more than 270 peer reviewed papers in international journals, 2 books and several chapters in renowned books/monographs. Such is the quality of his training and research that several of his collaborators have excelled in their careers and brought honours to the University and to the nation at large. The Sharma tree is so great, vast, and prospered that every branch has borne different flora, fauna and fruits, having more than 1000 branches in totally unrelated areas from highly experimental to highly theoretical research, ranging from mathematical sciences to biological sciences, petroleum engineering to advanced catalysis, fluid mechanics to sonochemistry, food engineering to polymer engineering, silicon chips to solar energy; to name a few.

ICT has been his Karma Bhumi which was transformed by his vision as Professor of Chemical Engineering (1964-1997) and also as Director (1989-97). He is also elected as International Fellow, The Royal Academy of Engineering (2005) and Foreign Associate, U.S. National Academy of Engineering (2006). He was Chairman of Board of Governors of IIT- Madras, Chairman of MHRD Empowered Committee, Member, Advisory Board, IIT, Bombay (2003-2009), Member, Council, I.I.Sc., Bangalore (2002-2008), Member, Science Advisory Council of the Prime Minister (2005- ) and Director, Board of Directors, Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation, MD, USA; Chairman, Empowered Committee of UGC for 10 years. Notwithstanding all these accolades, he must have declined many honours and positions of prominence in his life to be in the ICT. A unique persona. The civilian decorations of Padma Bhushan (1987) and Padma Vibhushan (2001) by the President of India are reflections of his professional standing.

Professor Sharma's legacy cannot be expressed in words, and one must meet him to be mesmerised and inspired. Salutes to the living legend.