Academia and industry converge at Indian Chemical Society's centenary conference

Nearly 460 researchers and 140 industrialists convened at Nehru Centre over the past two days to deliberate on the future trajectory of chemical research in India.

- Niraj Pandit

MUMBAI: The conference, themed 'Net Zero Goal & Sustainability: Role of Chemical Sciences in Green Energy, Circular Economy, and Prosperity of India', marked a significant milestone in the centennial journey of the Indian Chemical Society (ICS).

This was the first time that ICS, a premier scientific institution, collaborated with industry leaders in its annual conference, signalling a new era of synergy between academia and industry. The event brought together some of the most eminent minds in chemical science, including Prof Manmohan Sharma, Prof Raghunath Mashelkar, and Prof Lakshmi Kantam. Emphasising the historical importance of ICS, its chairman Prof G D Yadav, said that it was established on May 9, 1924 as a national forum for chemists and allied professionals. The visionaries behind its formation included stalwarts like Dr J N Mukerjee, Dr S S Bhatnagar, Dr J C Ghosh, and Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray.

The foundation of ICS was deeply rooted in the nationalistic movement of pre-independence India. As early as 1919, while conducting research in London, chemists Mukherjee, Ghosh, and Bhatnagar envisioned the creation of an Indian counterpart to the prestigious Chemical Society of London. "On their return, this aspiration materialised into what is today one of the most respected chemical societies in the country," said Yadav.