The Indian Institute of Metals (IIM) Kanpur Chapter, in collaboration with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at IIT Kanpur, recently hosted the annual Prof. N. K. Batra Metals & Materials Quiz 2024. Prof. Anish Upadhyaya, Chairman of IIM Kanpur Chapter, welcomed the participants with an inaugural address, highlighting IIM's role in advancing materials and manufacturing innovation and the legacy of the late Prof. N. K. Batra, in whose honour the quiz is named. Prof. Kallol Mondal, Acting Head of the MSE Department, also warmly greeted the participants, and the opening program was conducted by Prof. Niraj Chawake, Secretary of IIM Kanpur Chapter.

The highlight of the event was a session delivered by Prof. Sanjay Mittal from the Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kanpur, on the science of swing bowling. He engaged the school students with his unique oratory style and explained his research on aerodynamics through interesting and insightful topics such as swing, reverse swing, and the knuckleball in cricket.
Furthermore, an exhibition organized by MSE students showcased innovative models such as non-destructive techniques for finding defects in materials, simulation-based experiments, chromium removal from solution, and crystal structure models, fostering a deeper understanding of materials science.

This prestigious Prof. N. K. Batra Metals & Materials Quiz, designed for Class XI and XII students, aims to ignite a passion for Materials and Metallurgical Engineering. The event witnessed lively participation from 27 teams representing 14 different schools in Kanpur. The quiz competition followed a multi-stage format, starting with a preliminary screening round, advancing through four stages. The enthusiastic participation resulted in the shortlisting of 12 teams after the written screening test. This number was further reduced to seven, four, and finally two teams in subsequent rounds. The culminating stage featured rapid-fire questions, with quiz masters, Ms. Bhavana, Mr. Faiz, Mr. Antrakrate, and Mr. Praveen, Mr. Mushtaq, Mr. Vinayaka and Mr. Aditya skillfully engaging the audience.

The coveted first position in the Prof. N. K. Batra Metals & Materials Quiz 2024 was secured by Ashwin Gupta and Satvik Srivastava from Delhi Public School, Kalyanpur, Kanpur. The runners-up position was claimed by Utkarsh Jha and Manikarnika Tiwari of Delhi Public School, Azad Nagar, Kanpur. Prof. Anish Upadhyaya and Prof. Kallol Mondal handed over the prize to winner and runners-up. The winning and runner-up teams will represent the IIM Kanpur Chapter at the Brahm Prakash Memorial Materials Quiz-2024, which will be held at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, on September 21, 2024.

In his closing remarks, Prof. Raghupathy Yuvaraj, treasurer of IIM Kanpur Chapter, extended gratitude to the dedicated student volunteers and MSE Department staff for their instrumental support. The volunteer team, guided by MSE faculty members including Prof. Krishanu Biswas, Prof. Srinu Gangolu, Prof. Arunabh Meshram, Prof. Shikhar Misra, and Prof. Tanmoy Maiti from IIT Kanpur contributed to the seamless execution of the event.