Vivek Kumar Himanshu is Senior Scientist at CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad. He did his Ph.D. in Mining Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad. He graduated in Mining Engineering from B.I.T Sindri and M. Tech. in Mine Safety Engineering from Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, CSIR-CIMFR, Dhanbad. He joined Hindustan Copper Limited as Graduate Engineer Trainee (Mining) and served for one year in various capacity of underground mine supervision, mine planning, EIA/EMP study, etc. He served as Trainee Scientist at CSIR-CIMFR, Dhanbad, during his period of post-graduation and worked for various research projects of metalliferous mining and its simulation design. He joined National Institute of Technology Rourkela after his M. Tech. and worked there as Assistant Professor for 8 months. He gathered teaching, research, and academic experience during this period. Currently, he is working at Rock Excavation Engineering Research Group of CSIR-CIMFR, Dhanbad. He has received Young Engineers Award 2022 from The Institution of Engineers (India) and Abheraj Baldota Memorial Gold Medal Award (Young Mining Engineer of the Year 2022) for his contributions in mining engineering. His areas of research include rock excavation by blasting, controlled blasting, blast vibration prediction, blast simulation, etc. He has published more than 40 papers in different journals and proceedings of seminar. Narayan Kumar Bhagat is a mining engineer with 22 years of expertise in controlled blasting for mining and civil construction projects. Currently, he serves as Sr. Technical Officer at CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research Dhanbad, alongside his role as an Assistant Professor at the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR). He earned his Ph.D. in Mining Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad. He has successfully executed over 200 industry-sponsored projects as leader, member and authored 40 research papers published in SCI journals and symposium. His work mainly facilitates the use of the Directional Controlled Blasting technique for stabilisation of rock slopes near the railway track of Konkan Railway for the safety of trains and commuters as well as faster excavation of rock for doubling of railway track for the Indian Railways. He has worked to improve safety, production and productivity at underground and opencast coal & non-coal mines. Further, he has also worked on many hydroelectric projects (Tala (Bhutan), Pakal Dul, Baglihar, Sawra Kuddu, Karchham-Wangtoo, Shongtong-Karchham, Rampur, Tehri, Vishnuprayag, Gati, etc.) and civil construction projects (viz. Udhampur- Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link Project (USBRL), Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), flattening of hills for land development work for Navi Mumbai International Airport, Ghat-ki Guni twin transportation tunnels project of Jaipur Development Authority and Kaniha and Khargone Super Thermal Power Projects, etc.) for safe and faster progress of rock excavation work using blasting. Ashish Kumar Vishwakarma is a Technical Officer at CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad, India. He completed his graduation in Mining Engineering from Government Engineering College Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, India. He has master degree in Mining Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad. He has worked in various aspects of mining and allied operations. His research area includes Rock Excavation, Rock Blasting, Mechanical excavation of hard rock, Numerical simulation under dynamic loading, Statistical analysis, Blast vibration control and measurements etc. He was involved in river diversion, control blasting near High Tension line, Demolition of different cliff during the construction of Navi Mumbai International Airport, India. He has worked for providing scientific services at more than 30 opencast mining, underground mining and civil construction sites. He has published more than 15 research papers in International and National Journals and conferences. Arvind Kumar Mishra is a Mining Engineer with M. Tech. and PhD in Mining Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, having teaching, industrial and administrative experience of 31 years. Presently, He is Director at CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad. He is also Professor on-lien in the Department of Mining Engineering, IIT(ISM) Dhanbad. After graduation he joined Coal India Limited as Mining Engineer and served for three years. He then joined the IIT(ISM) Dhanbad as faculty member in 1992. He has also served as Technical Services Manager in Orica Mining Services, Australia and headed the Technical services function of Indian Business during 2005 to 2009. He worked as Chair Professor (Uranium) sponsored by Department of Atomic Energy, GoI. His areas of specialization include Opencast & Underground mining technology, Drilling and Blasting Technology, Rock Excavation Engineering, Tunneling, Geo-mechanics, ground control, and strata management. Prof Mishra has to his credit, 193 research publications in peer reviewed reputed journals, international/national conferences and symposia. He is actively involved in solving real life problems of mining & allied industry by undertaking R&D and industry sponsored projects in mining and allied areas and has completed more than 139 such projects. He has guided 17 PhD dissertations. He has completed 29 Management and Executive Development Programs for various mining, IT and other allied industries. He has been awarded with the prestigious National Geoscience Award from the Ministry of Mines, GoI by the Hon. President of India in 2016. He is also the recipient the Abheraj Baldota Memorial Gold Medal Award - 2012 (Young Mining Engineer of the year 2012) from Mining Engineer's Association of India.
