Prof. S C Katoch

155 Shyam Nagar, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh,
Phone: (01892) 2925

Prof S C Katoch was born in 1908 in Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh State. After his Engineering education from Roorkee, he joined Punjab Engineering Services of undivided/ British India, and worked in different capacities with distinction at different projects on the river Indus. After Independence, he was posted in the Bhakra Dam Organisation where his achievement was the economical construction of a 50 feet diameter and about half a mile long diversion tunnel.

After obtaining specialised training on construction of high dams in USA under Mr H H Slocum who was himself intimately connected with the construction of Bhakra Dam, Prof Katoch served as Superintending Engineer and Chief Engineer-in-charge of construction of Bhakra Dam. In 1962, Prof Katoch was given the responsibility of the Beas Sutlej Link Project, where he constructed two tunnels of 28 feet diameter and 8 miles long.

After such a illustrious career as a Construction Engineer, he took up responsibility as Professor and Head of the Water Resources Development Training Centre at Roorkee to pass on his rich experience in the field of construction of dams and tunnels to the future generations. To help further the fraternity of tunnelling engineers, he also wrote the very first Indian book on ‘Tunnelling Practice’ which was published in 1971.

The rich experience of Prof Katoch was utilised as Consultant for the tunnelling works by Maharashtra Government for the third stage of Koyna Hydro Electric Project and by Madhya Pradesh Government for the Tawa Hydro Electric Project. Even after retiring at the ripe age of 70 from the Chairmanship of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board, where he prepared construction schemes for important hydro electric projects, the State of Himachal Pradesh is lucky enough to enjoy Prof Katoch’s invaluable services as a Technical Adviser till this day for various Hydro Electric Projects.

The Honorary Fellowship of the Indian Society for Rock Mechanics and Tunnelling Technology is conferred to Prof S C Katoch for his contributions to the profession and research and wishes him to guide us for the years to come.

Shri N G K Murti

A 1 Amber, 2 Perry Cross Road, Bandra (West), Mumbai – 400 050, Maharashtra
Phone: (022) 640-3843

Shri N G K Murti was born in Andhra Pradesh. He was awarded the Bachelor of Engineering by Madras University in 1930 with Gold Medals of the Engineering College and of the University. He was selected to Indian Service of Engineers (ISE) in the year 1931 by the Federal Public Service Commission.

He was responsible for execution of Sukkar Barrage Project in Sind and Irrigation Projects in Belgaum, Bijapur, Satara, Mehsana and Baroda Districts. Besides irrigation projects, he also executed various other civil engineering projects like construction of air-fields in Poona, Belgaum and Lonavla. Shri Murti was In-charge of Koyna Hydel Project from the start to the installation of the first turbine. Later, he served as Chief Engineer and Joint Secretary, Irrigation Department, Mumbai, and was involved with Central Designs Organisation and Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute.

Shri Murti became the first Chairman of Bhakra Management Board. The Right Bank Power House of Bhakra Dam Project commissioned under his guidance. Later, he became the first Chairman and Managing Director of Water and Power Consultancy Services (India) Limited (WAPCOS). He also headed Indo-Bangladesh Joint River Commission. Shri Murti had been the Consultant to Bhakra Beas Management Board and innumerable irrigation and hydro electric projects in India. He had been Vice-President of the Prestigious International Conference on Large Dams (ICOLD) from 1969 to 1972. Shri Murti retired as Joint Secretary, Irrigation and Power, Maharashtra in 1967. Different organisations conferred honours on Shri Murti. The services of Shri Murti were recognised by the Government of India and he had been awarded Padma Shri in 1963 and Padma Bhushan in 1972.

Shri Murti was a fellow of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), USA, Institutions of Engineers, International Association of Hydraulic Researchers (IAHR) etc. The Indian Society for Rock Mechanics and Tunnelling Technology (ISRMTT) was privileged to confer the Honorary Fellowship on Shri N G K Murti. Shri Murti was highly respected for his practical approach in solving problems. With a heavy heart ISRMTT also expresses profound grief on the sad demise of Shri N G K Murti on February 24, 1995.

Dr. Nick R. Barton,

International Consultant, Rock Engineering
Fjordveien 65c,1363 Høvik, Norway
Phones: +47 67 531 506, +55 11 3722 0889
E-mail: nickrbarton@hotmail.com

Dr. Barton has 40 years experience from rock engineering projects in 35 countries, mostly concerning road, rail and metro projects, also tunnels and caverns for hydropower, rock slope stability, major dam abutment
and foundation stability, and nuclear waste disposal studies in various countries.

He is frequently involved in TBM project trouble-shooting. In 2000 he started his own consultancy in Norway: Nick Barton & Associates.

He obtained a Ph.D. on rock slope stability from Imperial College, London in 1971. He worked for 25 years in the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, part of the time as division director, and later as technical adviser.

He is author/co-author of more than 270 papers in technical journals and conference proceedings, and author of a book on TBM Tunnelling in Jointed and Faulted Rock in 2000, and of a text book on Rock Quality, Seismic Velocity, Attenuation and Anisotropy in 2006.

He developed the Q-system of rock mass characterization, and a shear strength criterion for rock joints, each widely used internationally.

He was recently honoured with the 6th ISRM Müller Award, given only once every four years for distinguished contributions to rock mechanics and rock engineering. He has an Honoris Causa (Honorary Doctorate) award from the University of Cordoba, Argentina, and several international awards in rock mechanics between 1975 and 2011.