How did you get into engineering or fluid power specifically?
Fluid Power has been a part of my life since the day I was born. My father, with more than 40 years of experience solely in hydraulics, has his credentials overshadowed only by my mother, who is a Head and Neck Cancer surgeon since the last 38 years. So between opening up hydraulic pumps and cardiac pumps, I decided the former. My distaste for blood made my decision easier though!

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing engineers today?
Core fields of engineering are, by default, hands-on professions. You could be doing design, civil, product or process engineering, but without physically holding your product, seeing your process or feeling the change you’re making, there will always be a limit to your possibilities. Engineers in the generation before sought jobs expecting to have a certain amount of manual work associated with it. Today, we expect jobs that only dirty our hands at an occasional birthday party in the office.

Twelve decades was what it took for the First and Second Industrial Revolutions to change the face of engineering. In comparison, today’s Computer Age happened over the last generation. We’ve become accustomed to cushy desk jobs which stagnate our imagination and curb our creative output.

What is the biggest misconception about fluid power?
With the advent of the Digital Age and the amount of exceptionally detailed and edifying information available through websites and magazines (such as Design World), the consumer is aware of hydraulics now more than ever. Sadly, instead of fostering cohesion between the Engineer and the Client, there seems to be competition. People usually go for the “cheap and quick” option, which does not always work. This is akin to folks feeling under the weather, self-diagnosing themselves online and claiming to have Yellow Fever or some such. A certain level of experience is required before one goes about designing/servicing/fabricating a system, the miniscule points of which cannot be learnt overnight. It isn’t as simple as a Google search and a click.

What do you think has been the biggest development in fluid power technology over the past five years?
Without a doubt, the paradigm shift from conventional to proportional valves would have to be fluid power’s biggest achievement. Although the technology has been around for a while, it’s taken some time to bring it into the Indian subcontinent. The systems that have been developed with the conjunction of hydraulic power and electronic control are amazing. Micro hydraulics is also gaining popularity amongst the robotic fraternity. As the race to develop the smallest and most affordable robots heats up, the need to innovate cleaner, better and more compact hydraulics is on the rise. A few years ago, there was a showcase of a humanoid arm developed solely with the use of hydraulic actuators, which was really marvelous. I hope to hear about nano-hydraulics soon!!

Do you think engineers get enough respect in today’s world?
Engineering is more about your experiences and less about the degree. That piece of paper gets people to listen to you, but unless you’re talking sense, no one is going to buy what you have to say. There are definitely good days where the client is respectful of your experience and know-how and actually believes that you have his best interests at heart. There are cases where they are adamant and uncooperative, but these are few and far in between.

Would you encourage your kids or grandkids to pursue an engineering career?
If they were to ask me for my opinion, I would say DEFINITELY. There is a sense of satisfaction that comes with seeing your product built that a balance sheet or stock graphs just can’t give. It is a tangible output of your intelligence, acumen and hard work. But I’d like them to make the choice for themselves, as this isn’t a field for all and sundry.

If you could no longer be an engineer, what other career path would you follow?
I’d be a chef. That is something I’ve wanted to be ever since I could hold a spoon. Hydraulics is in my blood and has become a source for untold satisfaction, but the culinary arts will always hold a special place in my heart. Apart from these two, there isn’t much else I think I’d like to do with my life.

What is the coolest project you’ve ever worked on in your career?
There have been many demanding and technically intensive ones that I’ve done, but the coolest would have to be designing the system for a mobile antenna vehicle for the Indian Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). They needed a mobile antenna unit that could be set up on any terrain under any condition within 180 seconds and repacked in 120 seconds. It was like working for Q from the James Bond movies with clandestine workshops and special ID cards. It took us a while to get used to everything!