DMET-MERI completes 60 Glorious Years
DMET Kolkata all set to celebrate its 60th year marking as Diamond Jubilee Celebration with enthralling performances by Shreya Ghoshal and Bikram Ghosh.
Tweet-- The Marine Engineering and Research Institute (MERI), formerly known as the Directorate of Marine Engineering Training (DMET), is India's national Institute for the training of Marine Engineers. It is India's oldest and best known Marine Engineering College. The prestigious institute is all set to celebrate its 60th year marking as Diamond Jubilee Celebration.
The Directorate of Marine Engineering Training (DMET in short) commenced operations on August 10, 1949 in temporary facilities at Boribunder ,Bombay and Gorachand Road in Park Circus, Calcutta with a total intake of 50 cadets( 20 at Bombay and 30 at Calcutta ).The institute finally moved into new facilities at Taratala Road in1953 and Lower Parel in 1966.The new building in Calcutta was formally inaugurated as the Marine Engineering College on December 14, 1953 by our first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru with the then Transport Minister Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri in attendance.
About 90% of Indian international trade in terms of volume and 70% of value are moved by sea. Currently Indian overseas trade is about 600 million tones and is less than 10 % is moved on Indian ships. The Indian Shipping Tonnage expanded rapidly for a period in the 1960s and continued expanding till 1975. it rose from .75 million GT to 5 million GT. Expanding demand in foreign trade encouraged expansion of Indian Shipping.
Shipping expanded after the introduction of tonnage tax in 2004 and the current DWT stands at about 15 million DWT. Average age of Indian fleet increased from 15 years in 199 to 19.8 years which is a major cause of concern.
Its cadets developed a reputation for being the world's finest Marine Engineers. The Indian Marine Engineer became synonymous with DMET. It is no coincidence that almost every major shipping company in the world has at least one DMETian in its onshore management personnel or floating staff. The star of DMET graduates has continued to rise, as they built up a formidable reputation for quality engineering skills. Many DMET graduates went on to build successful companies, establish marine engineering workshops and maritime training Institutes, develop surveying standards, and of late, make the transition to the new economy by pursuing successful careers in Management.
Ex-Cadets and well wishers, have decided to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee year of DMET-MERI during this year to promote the Institution further in the service of the Nation and the World at large.
The Celebrations would start on December 13th with an extravagant musical show by renowned artists such as Shreya Ghosal and eminent dance groups, followed by dinner. As December 14 is observed as the college day every year , a function marking the Diamond Jubilee Celebration has been scheduled to be held at Institute Auditorium on Monday , December 14, 2009 at 5.00 p.m., in the presence of eminent personalities followed by performance by Sri Bikram Ghosh .
DMET ians can be found everywhere- Shipping companies, ship building yards around the world, classification societies, Indian ,UK, Australian Singaporean maritime administrations, Fortune 500 companies, corporate giants, maritime education, maritime consultancy, banking and finance sector including world bank, IT consultancy , etc to name a few . It won't be an exaggeration to say that DMET ians are up there rubbing shoulders with IIT.
Notes to Editor
About DMET-MERI
The proud edifice at P-19, Taratalla Road, Calcutta 700088 symbolizes the birth of Marine Engineering training in India.
The Institute was established at the onset of Independence in 1947 to satisfy the growing need of marine engineers in India. The Institution earlier named as Directorate of Marine Engineering Training had its headquarter in Calcutta and a branch at Mumbai, under Ministry of Shipping (Government of India). The Institute has been renamed Marine Engineering and Research Institute in 1994.
The Institute was a dream project of a new India as she was expanding her horizon in the maritime field, starting with an initial intake of 60 cadets, today about 300 young highly motivated Engineers are passing through her hallowed portals.
After 50 years since her inception Marine Engineering and Research Institute is regarded as the most acclaimed Marine Institute around the world. Starting off as a four year-training course, today, MERI's students receive a Degree in Marine Engineering, duly approved by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education). The Institution takes immense pride in her alumni who at present apart from being regarded as one of the finest Marine Engineers around the globe, presently manning Shipping world over. She is also satisfying the present need of STCW-95 Convention of IMO and on the threshold of gaining recognition of ISO-9001. Her students apart from shipping also well established in the avenues such as Administrative Services, management, entrepreneurship, etc. Today she embodies discipline, dedication and integrity of the highest order in the Maritime field with around 6000 floating ambassadors of the country sailing all over the globe.