May tender memories soften your grief,
May fond recollection bring you relief,
And may you find comfort and peace in the thought
Of the joy that knowing your loved one brought…
For time and space can never divide
Or keep your loved one from your side.
When memory paints in colors true,
the happy hours that belonged to you.
Bidding adieu to Prof. Madisetti Anant Ramlu, who served as the founder and first Head of the Department of Mining Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur from 1958 until 1987 and retired as the Deputy Director & Acting Director of IIT Kharagpur. He was a subject matter expert in the area of mine safety, machinery, and open-cast mining and received his BS in Mining & Metallurgy from the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and his PhD in Mining Engineering from Bergakadamie Clausthal, Germany.
Mr. Arjun Malhotra, Distinguished Alumnus, IIT Kharagpur shared his grief by quoting, “Deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing earlier this morning of our beloved and revered Professor Madisetti Anant Ramlu. A stalwart and a giant among the IIT KGP Community and the Mining World. He is survived by his wife Mrs Sarojadevi and sons Vijaykrishna and Avanindra. He had a wonderful life and he enriched everyone who was connected to him.”
A pioneer specialist in mining industry, Prof. Ramlu conveyed that IIT Kharagpur is the only IIT that offers a degree in Mining Engineering in India thus contributing to the modern curriculum of mining education by introducing laboratory experiments in collaborations with the industry. For 20 years, he has served in this institute in different roles including the Head of the Mining Department and everything we see today in mining engineering department was his brain child. Even today, people fondly remember Prof. Ramlu’s contributions, affections and support that he has extended to his students, researchers and fellow colleagues.
“I first met Prof. M A Ramlu as a freshman, when I took admission in IIT Kharagpur. I was under his tutelage from 1971 to 1984, first as a student, then as a researcher and finally as a colleague. He was one of the people that influenced me the most, especially during my formative years. He was a rightfully proud man. He personified Simple Living and High thinking and was such a prominent personality in IIT and in the Mining world. Honesty and forthrightness were his hallmarks. It was my honour to be under his supervision and find him as a mentor. During his later years, he became first the Dean of Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy and subsequently the Deputy Director and Acting Director at IIT Kharagpur. It was disheartening to hear the passing of such a great man who played crucial role in my life. He retired from IIT Kharagpur in 1987 but until his dying day he remained a living proof that you can take a man out of IIT but you can’t take IIT out of a man..!,” said Sunil Murlidhar Shastri, a dear student of the deceased who paid homage by sharing a eulogy.”
He also served as the Dean of Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy (SRIC), Deputy Director, and Acting Director of the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, between 1980 and 1987. After retirement in 1987, he settled in Hyderabad, India, and frequently served as a consultant to the peer industries and government. He received the Prof. S K Bose Memorial Teaching Award in 2009, the Thacker Coal Mining Gold Medal from the Mines, Metals & Geological Institute of India (MMGI), and the Lifetime Achievement Medal from Mining Engineers’ Association of India (MEAI) in 2013. Dr. Ramlu is a renowned author of several books in the area of Mining Engineering and Safety (Mine Disasters and Mine Rescue; Mine Hoisting) which addresses the relevant elucidations in the mining industry in the contemporary times as well and made a whole difference to the community for decades.
Mr. Mukul Mittra, Friend of Prof. M A Ramlu also shared his grief on his demise – “He was the warden of Patel Hall during our years. A very considerate person. May his soul rest in peace.”
The entire IIT Kharagpur fraternity mourns with deepest regret the sudden demise of Prof. M A Ramlu on 6th March, 2023. The news of his sudden passing away was received by all with great shock. He left an ineffable impact on the vision of mining engineering education in India by introducing modern mining technology. The mining community will be eternally grateful for his well-known research in the spontaneous combustion of coal.
Prof. V K Tewari, Director IIT Kharagpur, “I personally went to confer the Lifetime Achievement Award to Prof. M A Ramlu this year, necessitated due to his poor health. Many of his associates and students came in to felicitate the man of prominence, Prof. M A Ramlu who served as the founder and first Head of Department of Mining Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur from 1958 until 1987 and retired as the Deputy Director & Acting Director of IIT KGP. In my brief interactions with him he shared his profound visions that he had when he started off as a novice in the professional field. His prodigious gratitude towards IIT Kharagpur for his longest stint here is full of modest acknowledgements for everyone he has worked with. The institute will bear his legacy as the legendary miner.”
An Institute Chair Professorship Award under the name of Prof. M A Ramlu and Mrs. Saroja Ramlu Institute Chair Professorship Award was instituted by Prof. Vijay Madisetti, son of Prof. Ramlu and an Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur. The award was established initially for six years, covering two 3-year terms for two incumbents and modified in scope by mutually agreed amendments to the MoU signed between IIT Kharagpur and Prof. Vijay Madisetti on 15th September 2016 under the able leadership of Prof. Partha Pratim Chakrabarti, Former Director and Professor of Computer Science & Engineering, IIT Kharagpur.
Prof. Damodar Acharya, Former Director, IIT Kharagpur, “Deeply saddened to know the demise of Professor M A Ramulu. He was an excellent teacher, and loved by one and all. He was known for his simplicity and sense of humour. He was the brain behind saving lives of hundreds of lives of the miners who were trapped in Chasnala Mining Disaster. He will be remembered by one and all in the mining field and KGPIAN of his time. I had the privilege of meeting him three times after his retirement. My sincere condolences to his bereaved family members and pray for the Moksha of his noble soul.”
In remembrance of the “The Mighty Miner”, his Alma Mater mourns in sadness after hearing the news of his demise. Our sincere condolences to his bereaved family. May almighty give enough strength to his family to bear this irreplaceable loss. We pray for eternal peace of his departed soul. He will always be remembered in our thoughts, prayers and action.
By : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer)
Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007
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