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DFI of India Awards

DFI of India confers various awards under different categories every year during its annual conference to appreciate and encourage the superior work in the Indian deep foundation industry and academia.

Lifetime Contribution Awards

The Lifetime Contribution Award is a prestigious honor bestowed upon an individual who has dedicated their life to a significant cause, profession, or initiative. This award recognizes the recipient’s unwavering commitment, enduring dedication, and profound impact in their chosen field.

2022 – Mr. Pramod Bongirwar

Mr Pramod Bongirwar is a Distinguished Alumnus of IIT Bombay who joined the Public Works Department (PWD), Maharashtra, in 1968 in Class 1 cadre and retired as Principal Secretary in 2003. He did his B.Tech in Civil Engineering and M.Tech in Structures from IIT Bombay. He is currently developing technologies for improving the performance of roads and pavements. These include cement grouted bituminous mix to provide pothole-free roads, precast pretension concrete pavement design, continuous reinforced concrete pavement, and geosynthetic material to eliminate approach slab & reduce live load surcharge and 3m radius semicircle arch culve rt on raft foundation. Mr Bongirwar continues to be highly active in the construction industry as a member of several prestigious infrastructure-related Committees, an advisor to large, reputed firms, and regularly publishing articles and papers in seminars & workshops.

2021 – Mr. Murli Iyengar

After obtaining M.Tech. degree in Geotechnical Engineering from IIT-Bombay, Shri Murli Iyengar took up an assignment with The Cementation Company Limited (now known as ITD Cementation) in 1964 at their Kolkata office. He worked for 6 years there as Geotechnical Engineer for various projects in India, Nepal & Sri Lanka. In 1970, Shri Iyengar joined Engineers India Limited, a prestigious consultancy firm as Sr. Geotechnical Engineer and worked for various Projects in India and abroad. Shri Murli Iyengar worked in Engineers India Limited as General Manager (In Chennai) and Executive Director (EIL- New Delhi). He was responsible for the functioning of the Engineering Division concerning quality and timeliness, working in close coordination with other Divisions. After retiring from EIL in September 2001, he took up Geotechnical engineering Consultancy for various Organisations such as Munsell Harris, Howe India etc., providing Geotechnical support, primarily for Marine Projects. He also provided Geotechnical support to GMR for their CORR Project in Chennai.

2019 – Prof. V S Raju

Prof. V. S. Raju obtained his bachelor’s in civil engineering from Andhra University, Masters in Geotech from Indian Institute of science and Dr.-Ing from university of Karlsruhe, Germany. He was also senior fellow of Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Prof. V.S. Raju was the Director of IIT Delhi during 1995-2000. During his academic career of 42 years, his other responsibilities include Member (part time), Telecom Regulatory Authority of India; Professor, Head and Dean at IIT Madras between 1970 to 1994 and 2000 to 2003. He was extensively involved in academic, sponsored research and consultancy. He was also Chairman, Naval Research Board; Chairman, Research Council – CRRI and Member of several Boards and Committees dealing with Technical Education and Research in the country. He is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering and was its Honorary Secretary. The Federal Republic of Germany honoured him with the Commander’s Cross, the highest award given to a foreigner. He was also on the Boards of companies including Bharti Airtel, Nagarjuna Construction Company and Satyam Computer Services.

2018 – Mr. N V Nayak

Mr. Narayan V Nayak was born in a small village Baggon, in Kumta Taluka of North Kanara district of Karnataka state on 21st December 1936. He graduated in Civil Engineering from the University of Bombay in the year 1959. He secured his M. Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT Bombay in the year 1963 and his PhD from the University of Wisconsin, the USA in the year 1970. He secured his PhD in the shortest period of three years with GPA average 4.0/4.0, the record which is yet to be broken. Starting his profession as a teacher for about eight years, Dr Nayak was with Tata Consulting Engineers for another eight years. Dr Nayak spent his next 40 years with leading Foundation specialist and general construction contractors.

2017 – Er. Shankar Guha

Mr. Shankar Guha, an example for professional commitment single minded devotion to his field and a man who has achieved this height by his dedication, performance and contribution to the field of piling. An accomplished Bridge Engineer, from 1970 onwards till now he is being involved in large number of piling projects. Being a longstanding Member of Bureau of Indian Standards, Sectional Committee, CED 43, he is responsible for maximum contribution to the growth of piling industry in South. An untiring personality, he has been accepted as an expert in piling practically by all the Government and Private agencies. Mr. Guha got graduated from Bengal Engineering College, Sibpur, Kolkata with University First Rank. He started his career with M/s. Hindustan Construction Company, Bombay and has vast experience spanning over 55 years covering broadly bridges, pile foundations, ground improvement techniques and other allied geotechnical activities.

DFI of India Student Awards

DFI of India encourages the participation of students and young professionals in the DFI events. DFII Student Awards, started in 2022, aims at recognizing and appreciating the encouraging industry relevant project and research work by students & researchers in the field of Deep Foundations and Ground Improvement. These awards are given in two categories namely Best Research Award (for PhD research) and Best Project Award (for Masters student).