Editorial Board
The editorial board of JAFT brings together leading academics and senior industry practitioners from across the iron-and-steel value chain. Together they safeguard the scientific rigour of peer review while ensuring every paper engages with real-world process constraints and plant-scale practice.
The board is organised into an Editor-in-Chief, who provides overall scientific leadership and makes final decisions; Section Editors, who manage peer review within each thematic area; and Managing Editors, who coordinate the editorial workflow. An Industry Advisory Panel of senior practitioners safeguards industrial relevance.
Editorial Board
Dr. B.K. Jha is a distinguished metallurgist with over four decades in India's steel sector and former Executive Director (In-charge) of RDCIS, SAIL. A pioneer in TRIP steels, he has developed numerous advanced steel grades and holds 45 patents and 140+ publications. His honours include the National Metallurgist Award (2015), the profession's highest national recognition. He remains actively engaged with academia, industry, and the Steel Research and Technology Mission of India.
Dr. Rajesh is an accomplished Metallurgist and Materials Scientist with progressive experience spanning academia, advanced research, industrial R&D, and multi-functional management. Career extends across institutions and industry in India, the USA, and Finland, with international research collaborations in seven countries including Brazil, Russia, China, and Italy. Expert in alloy design, CALPHAD, functional materials, and the application of AI/ML to materials science.
Dr. Banshidhara Mallik is an Associate Professor in the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at the National Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technology (NIAMT). Holding a Ph.D. in his field, he brings over 30 years of professional experience to his teaching and research. His areas of expertise include Casting and Steel Making, where he has contributed significantly to both academic instruction and applied research in metallurgical processes.
Dr. Girija Shankar Mahobia is a distinguished academic and researcher with over 23 years of professional experience in the field of metallurgy. He serves as Professor in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi. Holding a Ph.D., his expertise lies in ferrous metallurgy and mechanical metallurgy. Through his sustained teaching, research, and scholarly publications, he has made significant contributions to advancing knowledge and innovation in metallurgical engineering.
Dr. Saroj Kumar Singh is a distinguished operations leader and researcher with 27 years of extensive professional experience in the steel manufacturing industry. He holds a Ph.D. from XLRI Jamshedpur, specializing deeply in steelmaking, operational optimization, and industrial sustainability. An active contributor to academic research, his recent work focuses on removing structural bottlenecks and driving decarbonization within the Indian steel sector, with notable field studies featured in Benchmarking: An International Journal (2023) and Decision Sciences (2025). Through his research and leadership, he continues to bridge the gap between complex industrial operations and sustainable engineering practices.
Dr. Suresh Kumar Kodukula is Technical Marketing Manager (Flow Control Europe West) at RHI Magnesita, with a PhD from the University of Oulu and 24+ years across the steel value chain — including Tata Steel, Åbo Akademi University, and over a decade as a Senior Research Engineer at Outokumpu Stainless. His work covers casting, hot/cold rolling, steel cleanliness, crystallographic texture, refractories, and flow control sensors, with 16 publications, one patent, and three supervised master's theses.
Kiran Kr. Keshari is a seasoned metallurgist with over 35 years of professional experience in the steel industry. He served as Chief General Manager at SAIL's Research & Development Centre for Iron & Steel (RDCIS), bringing deep expertise in steel making and refining. A graduate in Metallurgical Engineering, he has contributed extensively to advancing process technologies in the steel sector. His long and dedicated career reflects a sustained commitment to research, innovation, and excellence in metallurgical practice.
Sanjeev Kumar is an accomplished metallurgist with 25 years of professional experience in the steel industry. He serves as General Manager in the Shape Rolling Group at the Research & Development Centre for Iron & Steel (RDCIS), SAIL, Ranchi. Holding an M.Tech. in Metallurgical Engineering, his expertise spans rolling technology, rail steel, physical and mechanical metallurgy, fracture mechanics, failure investigation, roll material, and flash butt welding technology of rails. His extensive work reflects a strong commitment to research and innovation in advanced rolling and rail steel technologies.
Interested in joining the board?
We welcome expressions of interest from researchers and industry professionals with five or more years of active engagement in ferrous metallurgy, steelmaking, or related engineering disciplines. Academic and industrial backgrounds are both valued.
Contact the editorial office