Bahadur Chand Nakra did his BSc Engg (Hons) from Punjab University (1959), MTech from IIT Kharagpur, and PhD from Imperial College of Science & Technology, London, working with P Grootenhuis on vibration control of structures and machines using viscoelastic damping. He retuned to India to join the IIT-Delhi, where he was in both the Mechanical Engineering Department and the ITMME center. During his career, he served as Head, Mechanical Engineer, Dean, Deputy Director and officiating Director. In addition to coordinating Indo-Norwegian research programme in Tribology and Indo-USA symposia in vibration and noise engineering, he was involved in joint research with universities in UK and Japan.

Academic and Research Achievements: On joining IIT Delhi (1966), Nakra started teaching and research in vibration analysis and control. He concentrated his research in the areas of vibration and noise engineering condition monitoring and diagnostic maintenance system identification and dynamic design and dynamics of hydraulic and pneumatic systems. He guided 21 PhDs, over 60 MTechs, authored over 160 research papers, 3 books and about 70 technical reports for sponsored R&D work from leading industrial and government undertakings in power, automotive, railways, process and manufacturing sectors.

Other Contributions: Professor Nakra served as Member of the INSA Council (1996-98), and was also its Treasurer. He served on the Editorial boards of Sadhana, Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy, Tribology International, and International Journal of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics. He was a Congress Member of IUTAM and co-organized an IUTAM international winter school in Dynamic Design.

Awards and Honours: Nakra was conferred the CV Raman Award by Acoustical Society of India (1995); Eminent Engineer Award (2002) by Institution of Engineers, India; Distinguished Mechanical Engineering Educator by ISME (2005); and INSA-GP Chatterjee Memorial Award (2001). He was elected Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (1987), Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore (1995), National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad (1995), Institution of Engineers (India), and World Innovation Foundation (2002).