This weekend is the first anniversary of the very sad passing of Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, the Chair and founder of WMG.

Colleagues in WMG and the many individuals in the University and beyond that worked closely with him will, I am sure, take a moment at this time to reflect on his life, his achievements and his impact on the University, the region and the nation.

As we remember him, we focus on his achievements with immense pride, the most visual of which is the National Automotive Innovation Centre (NAIC) in the Prof. Lord Bhattacharyya Building on the University campus. It is very fitting that last week we were honoured with a visit to the University by HRH The Prince of Wales to officially open the NAIC in the presence of Lady Bhattacharyya, Mr Tata and many of Kumar’s friends and WMG partners in UK and overseas industry.

He was immensely proud of the achievements of WMG, which he initiated in 1980. WMG now looks forward to the launch of our 40th Anniversary celebrations and to our next chapter. We look forward to continuing to build a brighter future through innovative research, education and skills and a focus on impact.

Lord Bhattacharyya generously established the Lord Bhattacharyya Family Trust as a permanent endowment to “support the stimulation and facilitation of research of the highest quality”. This, coupled with his passion for the advancement and enrichment of young people, has led the Trustees to announce the creation of two doctoral scholarships to commence in October.

WMG is delighted, in its 40th Anniversary Year, to host the selected scholars and enable the commencement of their research careers in the spirt of creativity and entrepreneurship that Lord Bhattacharyya advanced.

I am sure that Lord Bhattacharyya would be immensely proud, as I am as Interim Head of Department, in how his colleagues have, since his untimely and sudden passing, developed exciting new research, excellent educational approaches, embraced new opportunities and collaborations within the University and beyond.

Thank you to each and every colleague in WMG and all those we work with in the wider University.

Professor Dave Mullins, WMG Head of Department (interim)

Friday 28 February 2020