DMETians - Laughter, Legacy & the Sea

DMETians — Forged in Steam, Steel & the Sea is a coffee-table volume that chronicles six decades of marine engineering training and professional evolution in India through the experiences of a generation shaped at DMET, now part of the Indian Maritime University. Beginning with the inauguration of the DMET Calcutta campus by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1953, the book traces the journey from steam engines, slide rules, and manual watchkeeping to today’s automated and technology-driven maritime operations. Blending institutional history with first-hand accounts, it captures the rigours of training, the realities of engine-room life, and the transformation of marine engineering from a support function below decks to a profession standing in parity with the Master. Conceived as a legacy document, the book seeks to preserve the heritage, values, and spirit of the profession while creating awareness among younger maritime professionals of the foundations on which modern shipping has been built.