Dr. Sushanta Kumar Panigrahi received his PhD from Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in 2009. He worked as Post Doctoral Research Fellow at Missouri University of Science & Technology, USA from 2009 to 2012. He then joined at IIT Madras in Jan 2012 as Assistant Professor and presently, he is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering Department. He has also served as Visiting Professor at Ecole Centrale Nantes, France during May-June 2016 and 2022.
Dr. Panigrahi’s key research includes Light Weight Magnesium and Aluminium Technologies, Light Weight Composites, Advanced Casting, Sustainable Recycling, Multi-Metallic Sheet Manufacturing, Sheet Metal Forming, Microforming and Innovative Materials Processing. In this research theme, Dr. Panigrahi is actively associated with sponsored projects like; DST, ISRO, DRDO, DSIR, MHRD, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Mahindra & Mahindra, Renault Nissan, Titan Company Ltd, Aditya Birla Group, Hindalco, Rane NSK Steering System, HCL Technologies etc..
Dr. Panigrahi has guided 18 PhD scholars, 4 MS scholars and 38 MTech students. Dr. Panigrahi’s research has led to 128 international journal publications with h-index of 45, average impact factor per publication of 7.2 and 6000+ citations. He has also 56 International conference presentations and 6 book chapters.
Dr. Panigrahi has established 18 patented technologies. Few of his 1st time in-house patented technologies at IIT Madras are establishing new Magnesium casting and rolling technologies, sustainable Al & Mg recycling technologies, advanced multi-metallic composite sheet manufacturing technologies, new superplastic micro-forming technology for micro component development such as micro gears, micro pins, micro cups, micro double cups, micro channels etc. One of his recently developed patented casting process received ‘International Magnesium Award for Innovative Process of the Year-2024’ from the International Magnesium Science and Technology Award Committee, jointly awarded by the International Magnesium Society (IMS) and the Journal of Magnesium and Alloys (JMA). IIT Madras Researchers are the first team from India to win this international award.
Dr. Panigrahi became “"World's Top 2 % Scientists” continuously in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 as per the list released by Elsevier and Stanford University. Prof. S. K. Panigrahi was honored with the prestigious Fellow of ASM International (FASM) distinction in 2026, one of the highest international honors in the field of materials and manufacturing engineering, in recognition of his significant contributions to the development of casting, recycling, and forming technologies for lightweight alloys. Prof. S. K. Panigrahi was appointed to the Editorial Board of the Journal of Materials Processing Technology (Elsevier) from 2026 onwards, recognizing his expertise and contributions to the field of manufacturing and materials processing. Prof. S. K. Panigrahi received the Mid-Career Research and Development Award 2025 from IIT Madras in recognition of his outstanding research contributions.
Science and Technology Development of Magnesium, Aluminium and Titanium Manufacturing
Innovative Material Processing (IMP) for improving manufacturability and property enhancement (Solid state, semi solid state and liquid state IMP; Microwave IMP; Severe plastic deformation…)
Advanced Metal Forming (Both bulk and sheet) (Conventional-Micro-Macro-Incremental, Superplastic and High-Speed Forming).
Advanced Casting (Conventional and Innovative Casting Technologies for Mg and Al based alloys and composites)
Solid state processing and joining of similar and dissimilar materials
Plasticity and deformation behavior of materials.
Development of high performance Mg and Al based engineered alloys and composites (Mg and Al based MMCs); their fundamentals and manufacturability
Honored to become Fellow (FASM) (2026 Class of ASM Fellows) from ASM International-—one of the highest international honors in the field of materials and manufacturing engineering (He received this prestigious international recognition as FASM for his significant contributions toward the development of casting, recycling, and forming technologies of lightweight alloys).
Recipient of the international recognition of “World’s top 2 % scientist” by Elsevier and Stanford University for last 5 consecutive years: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Honored to serve on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Materials Processing Technology (Elsevier) since 2025 and appointed as an As. Editor of the journal with effect from July 2026.
Recipient of Mid Carrier Research and Development Award 2025 (Top Researcher in IIT Madras at Mid Carrier Level (Up to 50 Years of age) for impactful research contribution in National and International Level (Received on Institute Day of IIT Madras).
Recipient of 2025 Outstanding Paper Award for the paper titled “Understanding the corrosion and bio-corrosion behaviour of Magnesium composites - a critical review” by the Journal of Magnesium Alloy (Elsevier publication).
Recipient of an International Award “International Magnesium Award for Innovative Process of the Year-2024” by International Magnesium Science & Technology Award Committee (jointly awarded by the International Magnesium Society (IMS) and the Journal of Magnesium and Alloys (JMA)) for a newly invented Mg manufacturing process (Patent Grant No: 550671; Inventors: S.K.Panigrahi and his PhD scholars Vidya and Nilesh; Patent Title: “A Novel Casting Method for High-Performance Magnesium-Based Alloys/Composites”).
Recipient of more than 20 funded/sponsored projects. Among them few most prestigious sponsored projects are: IMPRINT Project, DST-SUPRA Project, DST-Advanced Manufacturing Technology (All these projects are Under MAKE IN INDIA Scheme and Dr. S.K. Panigrahi is the Principal Investigator).
Best PhD Thesis Award (2026): Vidya Tiwari, PhD scholar under the supervision of Dr. S. K. Panigrahi, was honored with the Best PhD Thesis Award in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Madras during the 2026 Convocation, held on 17 July 2026. Among 54 PhD graduates from the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the 2026 graduating cohort, her doctoral thesis was adjudged the Best PhD Thesis, earning her this prestigious distinction.
Institute Research Award# (2025) from IIT Madras (for excellent research of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi’s PhD scholar Vidya Tiwari).
PROF M S SHANMUGAM ENDOWMENT PRIZE to Dr. Venkatesh Behera (PhD student of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi) for best PhD thesis (received on Convocation Day 2025).
Best Poster Presentation Award to Sourav Mishra (PhD student of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi) on 7th Nov 2025 at Manufacturing Research Scholars Symposium.
Best poster award to Vidya Tiwari and S.K. Panigrahi for the paper titled “An Innovative Solution to Address Casting Challenges in Magnesium Alloys” at ASME-IMECE India 2025 international conference organized at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), Hyderabad, India during Sept 10–13, 2025.
Best paper award to Sourav Mishra and S.K. Panigrahi for the paper titled “Microstructural Engineering and Its Role in Strain Gradient Plasticity During V Bending of Magnesium Sheets” at the 4th International Conference on Friction Based Processes (ICFP 2025), jointly organized by IIT Tirupati, IIT Patna, IIT Dharwad, and IISc Bangalore During 6 8 September 2025
Research Excellence Award to Rakesh Kumar (PhD student of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi;) in Dec 2024 for his excellent research work (received on Research Scholars Day).
Research Excellence Award to Venkatesh Behera (PhD student of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi;) in Dec 2024 for his excellent research work (received on Research Scholars Day).
Best paper award to Bheemreddy Prathyusha and S.K. Panigrahi for the paper titled “Development of high bond strength Al/Cu bimetallic sheets by an innovative hybrid manufacturing process” at 4th International Conference and Expo on Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering during 28-30 September 2023, organized by ASM International.
Best poster award to Vidya Tiwari and S.K. Panigrahi for the paper titled “A Novel Approach to Overcome Casting Based Challenges in Magnesium Alloys” at 4th International Conference and Expo on Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering during 28-30 September 2023, organized by ASM International.
Sri R Krishnamurthy Endowment Award to Dr. Suman Deb (PhD student of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi; Currently Dr. Suman is a faculty in IIT Bhubaneswar) in July 2021 for best PhD thesis in the area of Advanced Materials, Surface Engineering, Coating and Treatments (received on Convocation Day).
S. Anantharamakrishnan Merit Award to Mr. Adish R (M.Tech student of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi) on the Convocation Day in 2021 (for best M.Tech project in Mechanical Engineering for the year 2021). This award is for best individual M.Tech project in Mechanical Engineering Department (including design, thermal, manufacturing and automotive) during June 2020-May 2021.
Best paper awards to Bheemreddy Prathyusha (1st) and Rakesh Kumar (2nd) (Both are PhD scholars of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi) at Sixth Asian Conference and Expo on Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering during 3-5 March 2020, organized by Jointly “International Federation of Heat Treatment & Surface Engineering along with ASM International.
Institute Research Award# (2019-20) from IIT Madras (for excellent research of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi’s PhD scholar Omkar Bembalge; Currently Dr. Omkar is a faculty in IIT Dharwad).
Emerging Professional Achievement Award for the year 2018 from ASM International.
Institute Research Award# (2018-19) from IIT Madras (for excellent research of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi’s PhD scholar Biranchi Narayan Sahoo; Currently Dr. Biranchi is a faculty in NIT Surat).
Institute Research Award# (2017-18) from IIT Madras (for excellent research of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi’s PhD scholar Abhijeet Dhal; Dr. Dhal is currently at University of North Texas, USA).
Sri R Krishnamurthy Endowment Award to Dr. Jose Immanuel (1st PhD student of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi; Currently Dr. Jose is a faculty in IIT Bhillai) in July 2017 (for best PhD thesis in the area of Advanced Materials, Surface Engineering, Coating and Treatments)
S. Anantharamakrishnan Merit Award to Mr. Amith Muraleedharan (M.Tech student of Dr. S.K. Panigrahi) in July 2017 (for best M.Tech project in Mechanical Engineering for the year 2017)
A publication (O. Bemblage and S.K. Panigrahi) awarded as Editor’s choice Paper in Metallurgical and Materials Transaction A (50(2019) 4288-4306.
A publication (G.R. Argade, S.K. Panigrahi, R.S. Mishra Corrosion Science, Elsevier Publ., 58 (2012) 145-151) appeared as Top 25 most cited papers published in Corrosion Science (Elsevier publication, Science Direct) for 5 years ( 2012 to 2017).
Visiting Professorship at Ecole Centrale Nantes, France during May-June 2016
Post Doctoral Fellowship from Missouri University of Science & Technology, MO, USA
CSIR, RA Fellowship Award (9/143 (702)/ 09)
IIM Swarna Jayanti Endowment Award
CCSTDS (INSA-CSIR-DAE/BRNS-DOS/ISRO) young scientist foreign travel fellowship (DO/Lr/TF-III/09)
Best research paper (Second) award in the International Conference on Metals and Alloys: Past, Present and Futute, IIT, Kanpur (7th-10th December, 2007)
University 2nd rank award in M.TECH
# Institute Research Award is generally given to 25 best research scholar in every year among all departments (17 departments + centers) of IIT Madras. This award is given for the excellence in PhD research work.
