You have published 85 articles, contributed to 5 books, taught 20 courses worldwide and authored two patents. What has kept you going?

I am passionately in love with my work. My philosophy is that if you follow your passion, you achieve inner peace. And that peace keeps you afloat of the storm around you. That gradually affects others. Thereafter, all good things follow your path. (As Geeta says, “Do your deeds passionately without expectation of fruits!”).

You have presented a series of lectures in India with emphasis on production of diesel fuels from coals. Where do you think India lacks and what can be the solution for the same?

I am a big proponent of Multi Purpose Coke Plant within a Steel Industry, whereby selectively extracting a portion of coke oven gas to produce ancillary products such as coke, , liquid fuel, methane gas, electricity, fertilizer, hydrogen and other products for Direct Reduced Iron (DRI), catering to the needs of the fluctuating market conditions. Some private steel companies are trying to address these issues. For example- JSPL plans to set up set up a Coal to Liquid Fuel plant that would produce Diesel, LPG and other products. Tata Steel is also planning a joint project with Sasol of South Africa for setting up a Coal to Liquid Fuel plant. Such projects should be highly encouraged in India. During my recent trip to India, I prepared a power point presentation entitled “Road Map for Indian Coal-Coke Supremacy”. With the presentation, I aimed at providing a road map to meet India’s growing demand for Coking Coal and Coke and ways to realize the motto “MAKE IN INDIA.” By the way, this power point presentation will also show with poetry, photos, and cartoons my own journey from the hills of Chindwara and flat plains of Nagpur to vastness of American landscape.

You in collaboration with Allen Ellis and other scientists from Purdue University, earned a patent entitled ‘Multipurpose Coke Plant for Synthetic Fuel Production. This would not only help in the production of coke for the steel industry but can also produce diesel oil, methane gas, hydrogen, fertilizer and power. How do think this will help the industry and the America as a whole?

Considering the shortage of coking coals, fluctuations in market conditions for coke, implementation of stricter environmental compliance rules, and abundance of non-coking or poor coking coals (that are mostly used in power plants), a plant that uses high amounts of poor coking coals and produces multiple products based on market needs with high importance on environmental control will be the able to survive and compete in the global market. In USA, coal production is declining. Here, a continuous coke making technology operating in enclosed environment that utilizes extremely high amounts of lower rank coals and produces multiple products based on market needs is the right option. It allows utilization of low rank coals that are simply burnt in power plants. Such an approach would help in revitalizing the industry, bringing jobs, and improving the economy.

You are called the Pride of the Indian Community, How does that make you feel?

I do not deserve that title. Every Indian immigrant, irrespective of their adopted countries, work hard in their profession and have excelled be it working in farms, hotels, hospitals, constructions, plants or offices. In their respective professions, they are admired, respected and are called pride of India by the mainstream community. Of course there will be some who may show racial discrimination, but they are in the minority.