Coal news and updates

Indian American Coal Scientist Honored with Three Awards

Dr. Hardarshan Singh Valia, a coal scientist, recently was honored with three prestigious awards bestowed upon him by the American Steel Industry.

He is the first-ever Indian American to receive the Iron & Steel Society’s Joseph Becker Award (for distinguished achievement in coal technology) for his work on coal usage in the steel industry.

Valia was also awarded the Joseph Kapitan Award (for Best Paper) from the Association for Iron & Steel Technology on his work regarding unique properties of Indiana coals. Finally, he was made a recipient of the American Iron & Institute Medal.

“It is like a Hollywood actor winning the Academy Award, the Grammy Award and the Amy Award,” Rajinder Singh Mago, a friend, said in a press release.

Valia recently presented his book “Indiana Coals and the Steel Industry” to Indiana Senator Dan Coats who is tirelessly working to improve economy and create jobs in Southern Indiana by unlocking affordable energy while protecting the environment.

After retiring as a staff scientist from Arcelor Mittal (formerly Inland Steel Company), Valia started his own consulting firm, Coal Science Inc., and jointly owns Coal Science Laboratory in Gary, Ind.

Valia received his masters in applied geology from Nagpur University, a masters in geology from Bryn Mawr College and a Ph.D. in geology from Boston University.

source: http://www.indiawest.com