December 2025: Mark Stevenson, one of the lead industry’s most popular and best-known veterans, has been honoured with a ‘Battery Ratna’ by industry leaders in India.
Stevenson, the chairperson of the Asian Battery Conference & International Secondary Lead & Battery Conference, was presented with the award at the India Lead Zinc Development Association’s (ILZDA) International Conference on Lead & Lead Batteries* in Delhi on December 1.
ILZDA executive director L Pugazhenthy, best known throughout the industry as Pug, told Batteries International ‘ratna’ means a ‘jewel in the crown’ — and said the honour was richly deserved because Stevenson is a global champion for lead batteries.
“He is also a very popular figure in India among the battery industry and his commitment and passion for lead batteries are unlimited and unparalleled. The ratna recognizes those qualities.”
Stevenson said: “I am truly humbled and motivated by this recognition from ILZDA and the Indian lead battery industry.”
In 2019, Stevenson was awarded the Lifetime Achievement in Lead Award at ILZDA’s conference in Mumbai. That event also marked the beginning of Stevenson’s 40th year in the industry.
In September 2022 Stevenson, together with Eckhard Karden, were confirmed as winners of the International Lead Award during the closing session of that year’s ELBC.
Also in 2022, Stevenson was named as the 29th member of the Alpha/Beta Society, an informal group of members who have made outstanding contributions to the development of the lead acid battery industry.
At the ILZDA conference, 200 delegates from India and overseas took stock of the current situation concerning lead batteries and set out a roadmap for India to exploit new oppor- tunities offered by emerging applications such as energy storage, electric mobility and environmental protection,” said Pug.
There were more than 30 technical presentations, including some on advanced lead batteries, by Indian and overseas experts on battery technology, markets, recycling, regulations and sustainability.
The conference also agreed to form a technical committee, consisting of members from lead battery and lead recycling businesses, to ensure energy efficient and resource-efficient environmental recycling of used lead acid batteries.
Additionally, it also supported moves for an early phase out of informal lead recycling, to be replaced by formal recycling units. This calls for firm commitment and active involvement by battery manufacturers, recyclers and consumers, the conference heard.
