Pune, India, 8th October 2026: The Great Die Casting Technology Forum (GDCTECH Forum) has honoured Hari Shanker, Founder and Managing Editor of Machine Maker, for his contribution to India’s manufacturing sector through industry journalism. The forum presented the award at the valedictory session of GDCTECH 2026, its two-day conference on “Next Generation Die Casting for EV & Mobility Applications,” held on 7 and 8 October at Hotel Kalasagar, Pimpri, Pune.

Anil S Kulkarni, President of GDCTECH Forum and Chairman & Managing Director of Poojaa Precision Engineering Ltd, presented the citation to Hari Shanker along with Ratish Choulkar, a senior metallurgist with Endurance Technologies Ltd and the chief guest of the valedictory function. Several senior office-bearers of the forum attended the session: Vice Presidents Sagar S Kaushik and Jitendra Lakhotia, Honorary Secretary Aniruddha V Inamdar, Honorary Treasurer Nitin Bhagwat, and Rajesh R Aggarwal, Chairman of the Technical Paper Committee. Delegates, exhibitors and members of the die casting community were also present.

Speaking about the recognition, Jitendra Lakhotia, Vice President of GDCTECH Forum and CEO of Aakar Foundry Pvt Ltd, said Machine Maker had given Indian MSMEs a space they rarely found in mainstream media. “Through Machine Maker, Hari Shanker has given a platform to manufacturers who were building India quietly, without anyone telling their stories,” he said. “The stories Machine Maker tells have brought visibility to these companies, and they are inspiring more people to enter manufacturing and help build the India of tomorrow.”

Anil Kulkarni spoke about the importance of acknowledging those who support the industry. “Recognising people who contribute to the industry is essential,” he said. “Machine Maker has consistently recognised and supported manufacturers. It is equally important for the industry to recognise the contribution made by Hari Shanker and his team.”

Accepting the citation, Hari Shanker thanked India’s manufacturing community. He said the recognition belonged as much to the entrepreneurs whose journeys the publication documents as to the Machine Maker team. “Every story we publish is possible only because a manufacturer chose to open their doors and share their journey with us,” he said. “This recognition belongs to them and to my team.”

Hari Shanker has more than 30 years of experience across media and manufacturing. He began his career in 1996 and founded Industrial Business Mart in 2004. He ran the business until 2017, when he closed it after recognising what a dedicated B2B print magazine could do for the manufacturing sector. That understanding shaped Machine Maker.

Reflecting on his journey, Hari Shanker spoke openly about the failures and mistakes of his early entrepreneurial years. “The mistakes I made over 14 years as an entrepreneur, and the lessons from the eight years before that, shaped everything Machine Maker is today,” he said. “Those failures taught me what the industry really needs from its media.”

The recognition came at the close of a conference focused on one of the most significant transitions facing Indian foundries. Electric vehicle platforms are driving demand for motor housings, battery enclosures and structural components, moving aluminium high-pressure die casting to the centre of the mobility supply chain. Over two days, GDCTECH 2026 brought together die casters, technology suppliers, tool and die makers and mobility-sector engineers. The programme included expert panel discussions, technical paper presentations, a Best Casting and Project Competition, an interactive quiz and a tabletop exhibition of aluminium die casting technologies.

GDCTECH Forum is a national platform based in Pune and dedicated to the aluminium die casting industry. Its stated vision is to build a world-class die casting industry in India. The forum conducts conferences, seminars, training programmes and industrial visits, and helps die casters connect with buyers. Machine Maker is a B2B media platform dedicated to India’s manufacturing sector, operating under the tagline “The Voice of Manufacturing.” Based in Pune, it tells the stories of Indian manufacturers, particularly MSMEs, through editorial content, a print magazine, video programming and industry events.

‍