I joined IIT Bombay in Oct 1974. My guide there was Dr. Achutan and after discussion it is decided to work on Combustion Characteristics of Cyclone Furnace. My M.Tech was on Turbo Machines. I have to now study on Heat Transfer, Chemical kinetics, Mathematical modelling and Computer programming. It was a herculean task.
Luckily for me one of the student who was also doing PhD during that time was Mr. U.N.Gaitonde. He was a gold medalist in B.Tech from IITB and doing PhD by direct admission. We became thick friends. He was a genius knowing many things and also willing to help all.
He was of great help to me in making the Mathematical model and making Computer program in Fortran.
When my family came he joined us in the weekend taking us in the campus and taking pictures. Till the end of my PhD and presentation he was with me. I can not forget him and I wish him all the best.
After PhD he joined IITB as a faculty and still continuing as Professor. He will retire by 2016. He is also consultant for different companies in India.
We are still in contact. He visited us in Quilon and Cochin. I am extremely indebted to him for his timely help without which it would have been difficult for me to complete. May God bless him always
Dr. Mohamed Ali Essa
