Mukesh Ambani elected to National Academy of Engineering, one of only 10 Indians

Mumbai: Reliance Industries chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani has been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering, a non-profit organisation based in the US. Ambani is one of only 10 Indians elected to the institution since its inception in 1964, and one of only 22 members the institution elected from outside the US in 2016. Tech evangelist Sam Pitroda is the other Indian elected to the NAE this year. [caption id=“attachment_2617596” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Mukesh Ambani in a file photo. Reuters[/caption] A press release from NAE said that election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. “Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to ’engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature’ and to ’the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education’.” The release said Mukesh Ambani was picked “for engineering and business leadership in oil refineries, petrochemical products, and related industries.” Pitroda made the cut for developing rural telecom infrastructure for India Ambani and Pitroda will be formally inducted during a ceremony at the NAE’s Annual Meeting in Washington, DC on 9 October, 2016. Other Indian members include P.C. Kapur of IIT-Delhi, scientist R.A. Mashelkar, Narayana Murthy of Infosys, scientist Roddam Narasimha, Pradip P. of TCS, scientist P. Ramarao, chemical engineer M.M. Sharma and industrialist Ratan Tata. Founded in 1964, the academy is a private, independent, non-profit that provides engineering leadership with a mission to promote a vibrant engineering profession and giving insights to the US government on related matters. The institution has more than 2,000 peer-elected members and foreign members, who are considered among the world’s most accomplished engineers – people who provide leadership for numerous projects to link their domain with better quality of life. IANS Disclosure: Firstpost is part of Network18 Group owned by RIL