The IIW Mumbai Branch
( Based on a report prepared by Shri. N.K.Sarkar.)

FORMATION

Second February 1973 is the red-letter day in the Annals of the Mumbai (then Bombay) Branch of the IIW. It was on that day the branch was formally inaugurated by Mr.W.Burt, the then President of the Indian Institute of Welding.

Since Mumbai has been the centre of commercial and Industrial activities in India, the necessity for the formation of a branch of the Indian Institute of Welding at Mumbai was felt by all connected with the welding profession, ever since the formation of the Indian Institute of Welding with its Head Quarters at Calcutta on 22^nd April, 1966.

An informal meeting was held on 20^th August 1968, at the Central Labour Institute, Sion, Mumbai. Mr.Keith Hartley & Mr. B.C.Bhar, the then President and Secretary respectively of the Indian Institute of Welding were also present at this meeting. A sizeable gathering of about 120-130 persons, representing entire cross section of industries and institutions connected with welding, attended this meeting.

Late, Mr. I.T.Mirchandani, Managing Director of Advani Oerlikon Electrodes Private Limited, Bombay, stressed on the need for starting a Branch of the Indian Institute of Welding in Mumbai. In his presidential address, Mr. Hartley gave a resume of the activities of the Institute, and stated that it was also the intention of IIW to open new branches in various parts of the country. The members present in the meeting, included S/Shri. L.M.Pasricha, P.S.Visvanath, A.N.Subramanyam, H.D.Govindaraj amongst others.

After the meeting, the IIW members and many interested Industrial Corporate members met a number of times to bring together the welding fraternity under one roof so that the branch could be formed.

Finally in November 1972, in a meeting held at the Indian Oxygen Limited, Mumbai, the following members were nominated for the Bombay Branch Managing Committee. The central council also approved the formation of the branch.

Chairman. - Shri. V. Surya Rao.

Vice-chairman. - Shri. M.H.Pherwani.

Hony. Secretary. - Shri.N.Moorthy

Hony. Treasurer. - Shri. T.G.R.Moorthy.

Members. - S/Shri. S.V.Nadkarni.

T.S.Champaknath.

D.A.Shah.

H.L.Prabhakar.

J.C.Kapur.

P.D.Devani.

The branch was formally inaugurated on 2^nd February1973 by Mr. W.Burt, the then president of the IIW. The inaugural function was held at the Central Labour Institute, Bombay. This was the third branch after Tiruchirapalli and Madras.

In the beginning, the membership of the Mumbai branch came from the Heavy & Light Fabrication Industries, Ship Building & repair shops, Automobile units, Welding Electrode & Equipment Manufacturers and Educational institutions. Over a period, flow of members came from wider segments like ONGC, BARC, Railways, Refinery, Fertilizer units, Certification Agencies, Testing Laboratories Etc. Today the membership of the branch is over 500 consisting of