Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (IITGn), on Wednesday informed that its director, Sudhir K Jain has been elected as an International Member of the US National Academy of Engineering (US NAE), a premier independent body of the most eminent engineers, business leaders, and academicians from across the globe.
Presently, there are only 16 other international members from India on US NAE, the names include Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, N R Narayana Murthy, Dr Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, and Dr Raghunath A Mashelkar.
The announcement was made by US NAE on February 9, 2021. Jain is among 23 international members elected in 2021 and the only current Director of IITs to be ever elected to this prestigious body, a statement said on Wednesday. He will be formally inducted during the NAE's annual meeting on October 3, 2021, it added.
‘Highest professional distinction’
Jain was cited by the organisation for his “leadership in earthquake engineering in developing countries.” The organisation has 2,355 US members and 298 international members. Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer for their outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice, or education.
Individuals can not apply for membership in the NAE. Members are elected by their peers (current NAE members) after a year-long process. Commenting on the development, Jain said, “It is a great honour for me. I am humbled and grateful to the fellow members and distinguished colleagues in the US National Academy of Engineering for giving me the opportunity to represent IITs and India on this prestigious international platform along with the top-notch leaders from the field of engineering, technology, business and academia.”
Jain, an internationally reputed scholar of earthquake engineering, is currently serving his third term as Director of IIT-Gn which he joined as the founder director in June 2009.