Rama Krishna Sangem
The 79th Annual Technical Meeting (ATM) of The Indian Institute of Metals (IIM) concluded at IIT Hyderabad, marking one of the most significant gatherings of metallurgical and materials science experts in the country. Held from 4-6 December 2025, the conference brought together 1,600+ delegates, featured more than 1,000 technical papers, 110 invited talks, experts from seven countries, and a large technical exhibition showcasing innovations from 45 organisations, setting a new benchmark for India’s materials research ecosystem.
With the national spotlight focused on critical minerals, energy transition, and advanced manufacturing, the three-day event underscored India’s accelerating momentum towards Atmanirbhar Bharat, materials self-reliance, and global leadership in emerging technologies.
Adding national significance, Hon’ble Minister of Coal & Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, in a special message, hailed ATM 2025 as pivotal to India’s plans for critical mineral security, clean energy transition, and technological self-reliance. He urged researchers to bridge science and industry by developing scalable solutions in the extraction, refining, and recycling of critical materials.
Full cycle of critical minerals needed
Prof. B. S. Murty, Director IIT Hyderabad and the president of IIM, presided the inaugural function and explained in brief the objective of organising the Annual Technical Meeting by addressing the delegates, reaffirmed that achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat depends on mastering the full life cycle of critical minerals-from exploration and beneficiation to advanced processing and next-generation manufacturing.
Prof. Murty highlighted India’s growing innovation capacity, reflected in the record participation at ATM 2025, and showcased IIT Hyderabad’s pioneering achievement in developing India’s first large-scale metal 3D-printed structure (1 m × 1 m × 2.5 m) using an indigenous machine designed by IITH and fabricated in India. He emphasised that ATM 2025 must inspire scalable, sustainable,high-impact outcomes that strengthen India’s global leadership in materials and manufacturing.
Building on this, Dr. S. V. Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D & Chairman, DRDO, delivered a compelling address on India’s economic rise-crossing the $4 trillion milestone and progressing toward $35 trillion by 2047. He highlighted that materials lie at the heart of every strategic technology, and called upon young researchers not just to learn, but to innovate boldly to place India at the forefront of global technology leadership.