Prof. Sarit K. Das is an Institute Professor at the IIT , Madras. He is the first occupant of the V. Balakrishnan Chair Professorship and also a Mechanical Engineering Professor. He is the former Director of IIT, Ropar. He is also the former Dean (Academic Research) of IIT Madras.

Prof. Das studied at the Jadavpur University, NIT Rourkela and the Helmut Schmidt University of Hamburg, Germany. The research group of Prof. Sarit K. Das works on various aspects of thermo fluidics like heat and mass transfer in industrial equipment such as heat exchangers and fuel cells, multiphase flow and energy conversion. Water management in PEM fuel cells and thermal management of battery stack are the two active areas in this direction. The group specifically focuses on Micro-Nano scale processes and is known to be one of the leading groups on Nanofluids in the world. Another area of focus of the group is Bio-Micro fluidics, which are specifically conceptualized to mimic human physiological conditions. The focus is to use this for medical diagnostics, a platform for drug delivery and understanding physiological and pathological states related to cardiovascular diseases and cancer. The group has also started working on thermal desalination techniques such as Multiflash and HDH (Humidification and Dehumidification) systems.

Prof. Das is a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences (NASI) and the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE). He was a Peabody Visiting Professor at MIT, Cambridge and a visiting Professor – at Lund University, Sweden. He is conferred with the prestigious India Citation Awards 2012 by Thomson Reuters. He has published more than 350 research articles and five books. He is the most cited mechanical engineer of the nation. Prof. Das is a member of the editorial boards of Heat Transfer Engineering, Taylor & Francis Publishers, a former Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Micro-Nano Scale Transport, Multi-Science Publishing Co. Ltd, UK. and a Former Member of the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Heat Exchangers, Edward Publishers, USA. In 2021, he received the Lifetime Achievement Research Award from IIT Madras.

EDUCATION

• Post-Doctoral - Plate and Liquid Metal Heat Exchangers, University of B W Hamburg, Germany (1993 - 1994).
• Ph.D. - Heat Transfer, NIT Rourkela (Sambalpur University), India(1994).
• M.E. - Heat Power Engineering, Jadavpur University, India (1987).
• B.E. - Mechanical Engineering, Jadavpur University, India (1984).

AWARDS AND HONOURS

• 'IIT Madras Lifetime Achievement Research Award’ in June 2021.
• Distinguished Alumnus Award - National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, 2020.
• 'India Citation Awards 2012' conferred by Thomson Reuters.
• Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences (NASI), Allahabad, 2011.
• Peabody Visiting Professor, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2011.
• Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), 2006.
• Prof. K. N. Seetharamu Award and Medal for Excellence in Research, awarded by Indian Society for Heat and Mass Transfer, 2006.
• Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship, Germany: 2000-01.
• Bhagaya Lakshmi Krishna Ayengar Award of IIT Madras (jointly) for guiding the best B.Tech. project on Alternative Energy in 2003.
• DAAD (German Academic Exchange) Fellowship 1993-94.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Institute Professor, IIT,Madras May 2021- present.
• Institute Chair Professor, May 2016- present.
• Director, IIT Ropar, June 2015 - Jan 2021.
• Dean (Academic Research), IIT Madras from 2012 – 2015.
• Chairman, Research Task Force, IIT Madras from Jul 2012 – Jan 2013.
• Member, Research Committee, Anna University Chennai, 2022 –present.
• Member, Planning Board, Tamil Nadu Open University, 2022 –present.
• Member, Board of Governors, NIT Pondicherry, 2012 – 2015.
• Head, Heat Transfer Lab, IIT Madras from 1997-2000.
• President, Faculty Association, IIT Madras, 2012-2013.
• Member, Board of Governors, NIT Kurukshetra, 2012 – 2015.
• Member, Board of Governors, NIT Jalandhar, 2012 – 2015.
• Member, Board of Governors, I.K. Gujral Punjab Technical University, 2012 – 2015.
• Member, Board of Governors, IISER, Mohali, 2012 – 2015.

BOOKS AUTHORED

• Vapour-liquid two phase flow and phase change - Ane Books Pvt Ltd.; 1st edition (9 March 2022).
• Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer - Narosa Publishing House,New Delhi (India), 850 pages (2010).
• Nanofluids Science and Technology – John Wiley & Sons (NY), 2007.
• Process Heat Transfer - Narosa Publishing House, New Delhi (India), 732 pages UG/PG text book (2005).
• Engineering Heat and Mass Transfer – Dhanpat Rai Publishing Company (India), 680 pages, undergraduate text book (1999).
• Application of Nanofluid-Based Direct Absorption Solar Collector in Once-Through Multistage Flash Desalination System", In: Tyagi, H.,Agarwal, A., Chakraborty, P., Powar, S., (eds.), Advances in SolarEnergy Research, Springer (2019). (Contributed One Chapter).
• A Textbook of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Contributed One Chapter) McGraw-Hill, 244 pages (2013).

PATENTS

Patent Granted:

• P. Govindan, G. Thiel, R. McGovern, J. Lienhard, Sarit K. Das, K.Chehayab, S. Zubair, M. Antar,” Thermodynamic balancing of combined heat and mass exchange devices”, US Patent No. US8496234B1, (2019)
• Arun Prasad Raja, Tanmay Basak, Sarit K Das, “A Multi Block Heat Exchanger”, Indian Patent No: 240302, (2006).
• Purbarun Dhar, Ajay Katiyar, Sarit K Das, Arvind Pattamatta, “Graphene nanoflakes based polymeric pastes/gels for mega-electroviscous utilities”, Indian Patent No. 352112.

Patent Applied:

• Sarit Kumar Das, Allwyn Blessing Johnson N, Avijit Baidiya, “Superhydrophobic mixed flow fields for enhancing water management in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel cell”, Indian Patent Application
  No: 202141060577, (2021).
• Pyarimohan Dehury, Sarit Kumar Das, “An organic nanofluid for cooling of battery stack and a method of manufacture thereof”, Indian Patent Application No: 202241038156, (2022).

CITATIONS

• Total Publications - 350
• Journals - 252
• Conference Papers - 98
• Google Scholar
  Total Citations – 24640
• h-index – 55

INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS

• Peabody Visiting Professor - MIT, Cambridge (USA) (Jul 2011 to Dec 2011).
• Visiting Professor - MIT, Cambridge (USA) (Fall of 2007 to 2008).
• Visiting Professor - Lund University, Sweden (Summer of 2003, 2004 & 2005).
• Guest Professor & Humboldt Fellow - Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg (2000 - 2001).
• Guest Professor - University BW, Hamburg (Summer of 1997, 98 & 99).
• Scientist - University BW, Hamburg (1993 - 1994)

NATIONAL POLICY MAKING ROLE

• Selection Committee Member - for the Vice Chancellor selection of several Punjab/National universities.
• Member - of the Task force for unlocking the COVID lockdown of Punjab.
• Member - AICTE Regional Council.
• Member - Standing committee of IIT Council.

EDITORSHIP OF JOURNAL

• Member of the Editorial Board of Heat Transfer Engineering, Taylor & Francis Publishers, USA.
• Former Editor in Chief of International Journal of Micro-Nano Scale Transport, Multi-Science Publishing Co. Ltd, UK
• Former Member of the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Heat Exchangers, Edward Publishers, USA.