Dr Mukhopadhyay Named as IRMRA President

Ceat launches second TVC on SecuraDrive tyres

The Indian government has nominated Dr R. Mukhopadhyay, Director (R&D) of JK Tyre and Industries Ltd, as the president of the Indian Rubber Manufacturers Research Association (IRMRA). 

Dr Mukhopadhyay replaces Dr RK Matthan, who completed three years as president of IRMRA, according to a press release. 

After completing his graduation from the University of Calcutta and MSc – Ph.D. from IIT Kharagpur, Dr Mukhopadhyay started his career in the 70s as a Faculty in Applied Chemistry at IIT, Kharagpur. He subsequently joined Bayer India (Rubber Chemical Division). He was the Director and Chief Executive of Hari Shankar Singhania Elastomer & Tyre Research Institute (HASETRI) since its inception in 1991 and Director. R&D, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd. With close to five decades of experience in Education, Training and Research he has been contributing expertise towards rubber science and tyre technology, the release pointed out.  

He is also a Visiting Faculty at different IITs and national universities in India. He has to his credit more than 175 research and Technical Papers in national and international journals and seven patents from his research work. Under his guidance, ten scientists did their Ph.D from different universities/IITs.  

He is the Chairman of Indian Rubber Institute (IRI) Governing Council and Fellow Member of Indian National Academy of Engineers (FNAE), The Institution of Engineers India (FIE), Indian Rubber Institute (FIRI), American Chemical Society-Rubber Division, Indian Society of Analytical Scientists, Indian Institute of Quality etc. 

Dr Mukhopadhyay is also a member of Academic Advisory Board of Techno India NJR Institute of Technology, Udaipur, Member of Governing Council of Rubber Skill Development Council, under the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Govt. of India. 

He is also a Lead Assessor of different Quality Management Systems and different Business Excellence Models. He is a member of Advisory Board of Certification Services, British Standards Institute (BSI), India and BSI APAC Certification Body Impartiality Committee (CBIC), British Standards Institution (BSI) Asia Pacific Region. 

He is instrumental in establishing “Dr. D.Banerjee Centre of Excellence” at JSS Technical Institutions Campus in Mysuru. This Centre acts as a nodal centre for rubber technology education, training, testing, research and skill development in Karnataka including BVoc course in Rubber Technology and various certificate programmes for different job roles of “Rubber Skill Development Council (RSDC) under Skill India Mission proposed by the Prime Minister. (TT)

Webfleet Receives Three European Fleet Awards

Webfleet Receives Three European Fleet Awards

Webfleet, Bridgestone’s globally trusted fleet management solution, has earned three prestigious awards across Europe this month. In Germany, its AI-powered tool Fleet Advisor was recognised as the ‘Rising Star’ at the Baugewerbe Produkt des Jahres 2025 awards. Meanwhile, in Poland, Fleet Advisor – which leverages generative AI to deliver swift, insightful answers to critical fleet-related queries – secured the ‘Fleet Derby 2025’ award in the Digital/AI Innovation in Management category.

Additionally, in Spain, Webfleet received the ‘Award for Excellence in the Road Transport Industry’ from Cadena de Suministro, a leading logistics publication, honouring its 25-year legacy of innovation and transformative contributions to the mobility sector. These accolades highlight Webfleet’s continued leadership and technological advancement in fleet management.

Jan-Maarten de Vries, President of Fleet Management Solutions at Bridgestone, said, “Together, these awards highlight the strength of Webfleet’s dual commitment to cutting-edge innovation and customer-driven progress.”

Passenger Vehicle Forum To Be Held On 2nd September In Pune

PVF

The 3rd Edition of the Passenger Vehicle Forum (PVF), a leading forum focussing on the passenger vehicle segment, is scheduled to take place on 3 September 2025, at Hyatt Regency, Pune.

This 2025 edition of PVF will focus on a wide area of topics such as – software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and E/E architecture transformation, electrification, hybridisation & future powertrains, connected, autonomous & smart mobility technologies, sustainability, alternative fuel, customer behaviour, retail transformation and aftermarket innovation.

The idea is to understand the present and future trends reshaping the passenger vehicle industry.

The event is expected to bring together over 300 senior decision-makers, more than 60 speakers and over 40 solution providers to debate, discuss and plan the way forward.

Since its debut, the Passenger Vehicle Forum is amongst one of the key platforms that brings together various stakeholders – OEMs, auto component manufacturers, mobility providers and policy influencers, all under one roof.

Linglong Tire Gets Recognition By HKUST, Harvard Business Review And Deloitte China

Linglong Tire

Chinese tyre major Linglong Tire was recently recognised as one of the Best Managed Companies in China in an event joint held by Deloitte China, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Business School and the Harvard Business Review.

The tyre maker was recognised for its capabilities in the areas of strategic leadership, operational efficiency, integrated management and sustainable growth at the annual event.

Linglong Tire stated that the Best Managed Companies program is a globally recognised initiative under the guidance of Deloitte is said to be the only international award in China for the comprehensive evaluation of enterprise management systems.

The award in its 7th year saw potential companies evaluated on the bases of complex management questions, executive interviews and neutral expert assessments based on Deloitte’s global program. The companies were assessed on four criteria – strategy, expertise, commitment and financial strength.

Hankook Tire Hungary Honoured With ‘Key Supporter Of Saint Pantaleon Hospital’ Award

Hankook Tire Hungary Honoured With ‘Key Supporter Of Saint Pantaleon Hospital’ Award

Hankook Tire Hungary Ltd received the ‘Key Supporter of Saint Pantaleon Hospital’ award during the hospital's Semmelweis Day ceremony in Dunaújváros, Hungary. This recognition highlights the company's longstanding commitment to enhancing local healthcare quality through consistent contributions.

Marking a new tradition, this year's ceremony expanded beyond honouring healthcare workers to acknowledge institutional supporters. Hankook earned this distinction through multiple initiatives, including recent equipment donations for the paediatric ward and installation of a nurse call system in the surgical department. The company's support extends to previous years' projects such as ventilator procurement, maternity ward renovations, and pandemic-related protective equipment donations.

The award coincides with Hungary's annual Healthcare Day celebrations on 1 July, which since 1992 has honoured medical professionals nationwide. By recognising Hankook's sustained community involvement, Saint Pantaleon Hospital underscores the vital role of corporate partnerships in maintaining quality healthcare services.

Dr Örs Szilágyi, Director General of the Saint Pantaleon Hospital, said, “We are very grateful for the help and commitment of Hankook Tire Hungary. We are working together for a joint goal to improve continuously the standard of healthcare and thus create value for local citizen, help them in maintaining their health and in getting better. Hankook’s Corporate Social Responsibility sets an example to all. We are happy to award Hankook Tire Hungary Ltd as the first company with the ’Key Supporter of Saint Pantateon Hospital’ award.

Receiving the award from Dr Szilágyi on behalf of the company, Ho Taek Lim, Managing Director of Hankook Tire's Hungary Plant, said, “We are honoured to receive this recognition from Saint Pantaleon Hospital. At Hankook, we believe in long-term partnerships and consider the health of the people living here, our employees and their families to be our most important investment, which is why we intend to continue supporting local initiatives and institutions in the future.”