Ganesh M. Kakandikar is Professor Associate Head of School of Mechanical Engineering at Dr. V. D. Karad MIT World Peace University, Pune. He has completed Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Nanded in 2014. He has 20 years of experience in Teaching, Research and Administration. He has authored 03 books published internationally by Lambert Academic and CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group and contributed book chapters published by Wiley, Springer, Elsevier. 65+ publications are at his credit in National/International Journals and conferences. He is reviewer of many reputed journals. He has chaired sessions in various national and international conferences and worked on their advisory committees. His publications have been widely cited by researchers. He is professional member of various society’s including International Society on Multiple Criteria Decision Making, International Society for Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization and Sheet Metal Forming Research Association. He has executed many research projects with industries especially on optimization of automotive components. He has guided several M.Tech. Thesis and adjudicated many of other universities. He is recipient of many academic and industry awards including Indo Global Engineering Excellence Award – 2015 from Indo Global Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture for Research Work in Engineering, Cooper Engineering Prize for Best Paper in Mechanical Engineering for paper entitled "Thinning Optimization in Punch Plate using Flower Pollination Algorithm at Annual Technical Paper Meet 2015 of The Institution of Engineers (India) at Pune, Appreciation Award in ANSYS Hall of Fame 2017. He is awardee of Young Scientist International Travel Grant by Government of India. He regularly writes columns in India print media on education systems and reforms.Dinesh G. Thakur is presently working as Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, [Deemed to be University, DRDO Ministry of Defence,] Girinagar, Pune since 2011. He has 20+ years of Teaching, Administrative and Research Experience. He completed his masters and doctorate from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Prior 2011 he has worked with Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, Lonere, Maharashtra. His areas of interest are Manufacturing considerations in Design, High Speed Machining/Green Machining, Metal Forming etc. He has organized 15 short term training programs. He has delivered 65 invited talks in various institutes. He is recipient of many awards as Teacher of the Award 2013 at DIAT, Pune, Member of Board of Management, DIAT, Pune, Member, Academic Council, DIAT, Pune. He has received best paper award World Congress on Engineering 2009 at London. He has been listed in Who’s Who in the World 2010. He is member on various academic and management authorities of many universities/institutes. He is life member of Indian Society for Technical Education, Institution of Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Indian Institute of Metals, Aeronautical Society of India, MRSI etc. He is reviewer of many reputed journals. He has guided 35 M. Tech. students and 07 are ongoing. 04 research scholars have been awarded doctorate under his guidance and 04 are presently working. He has visited China, Hongkong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, United Kingdom, Switzerland etc. He has 50+ publications in reputed journals.
