Dr. Kalsi earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College in India in 1967. He came to the United States to pursue his graduate studies which were also in the field of Mechanical Engineering, and chose the University of Houston.

While at the University of Houston, Professor Gabriel Fazekas had an outsized influence on Dr. Kalsi’s research, and eventual career path. Dr. Kalsi earned his master’s degree in 1970 and began a career in industry. While working full time, he continued his graduate studies at the University of Houston earning his Ph.D. in 1975. Dr. Kalsi worked in the valve design and manufacturing industry for 10 years before starting his own business. The last position he held was the Manager of R&D at a major valve company in the Houston area.

In 1978, Dr. Kalsi founded Kalsi Engineering, Inc. to provide design, analysis, and testing services for mechanical equipment to the oilfield, petrochemical, and nuclear power industries. Kalsi Engineering, Inc. is recognized worldwide for providing technically rigorous solutions to some of the most challenging valve and sealing problems in these industries. Both technologies rely heavily upon the fundamentals of tribology that Professor Fazekas taught.

Based upon insights gained from his graduate research, Dr. Kalsi developed a hydrodynamic rotary seal for harsh applications in the drilling industry. Over the years, the staff has provided many innovations that dramatically expand the performance, reliability and life of the Kalsi-brand rotary seal product line. Some of this research was performed in collaboration with the University of Houston.

Dr. Kalsi continues to maintain a very strong relationship with the University of Houston. He is currently the Chairman of the Mechanical Engineering Industrial Advisory Board and a member of the Engineering Leadership Board of Cullen College of Engineering. Dr. Kalsi has continued over the years to donate to numerous scholarships that have supported undergraduate and graduate engineering students at the University of Houston. Recently, Dr. Kalsi and his wife, established an endowed professorship in honor of his Advisor, Professor Gabriel Fazekas.