Page 124 - CW E-Magazine (6-2-2024)

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Head and Managing Director, Arkema
India, noted that the problems of the
past can be the opportunities for the
future. “The next 10 years can be India’s
decade in chemicals, and the growth is
going to come in speciality chemicals.
Technology for these are in the hands of
a few and Indian industry will do well
to step up their game to do this,” he
observed.

Sustainability, he added, is coming
in a big way and will pose many techno-
logy-related opportunities. While Important role on policy advocacy on these insights, leading to process
Europe has been driving this, the concepts Mr. S. Ganesan, Vice President – intensifi cation; and its diligent and
are catching up world-over, and insti- Policy Affairs, UPL Ltd., pointed to the intelligent implementation.
tutes can help industry ‘go green,’ he neglected role of academia in policy
felt. “India can contribute greatly in advocacy, so as to set the stage for the He urged companies to carefully
artifi cial intelligence (AI) and predictive right decision making. This, he noted, look at the processes they deploy, while
modelling. Arkema is making India a is particularly relevant, for highly regu- lamenting that “99% of the data availa-
hub for one group of pro-ducts in this lated industries such as agrochemicals, ble in a company is not looked at.”
area, and the feedback on this so far has where a lot of misinformation and dis-
been fabulous.” information is generated, including by Lastly, Prof. Joshi urged captains
vested interests. of industry to “be fair to the problem
‘Identifi cation of right human resource solver,” when it comes to recognising
crucial’ “Academic institutions can play an and rewarding them for their efforts and
Prof. Rajnish Kumar, Department important role in policy advocacy,” he success.
of Chemical Engineering, IIT Madras, commented.
observed that identifi cation of the right Recommendations
human resource for working with ‘Productivity enhancements through In a concluding session, speakers
industry and on futuristic areas is im- deep insights’ and attendees (including students)
portant. Prof. J.B. Joshi, Emeritus Professor highlighted some initiatives that ICC
of Eminence, ICT, dwelt on his exten- could closely examine in order to bol-
As an example of a successful sive experience in industrial consultan- ster partnerships. These included:
collaboration, he pointed to a project at cy and research, the hallmarks of which  Creating a pool of technical talent,
his institute that involved nine industry have been dramatic improvements in including retired professionals, that
partners coming together in the area of productivity in chemical processes with industry can tap into, depending on
climate change, which led to 35 pro- consequent increase in profi tability. the problem at hand;
jects. “We have started a School of  Fund a development plan for key
Sustainability and identifi ed faculty from These benefi ts, he observed, stem technologies that India still lacks; and
various Departments to work on the from fundamental insights into the pro-  Set up a systematic framework for
programme,” he observed. cesses being tackled; innovation based supporting internships for students.

Pointing to the need for a realistic Anupam Rasayan sets up subsi-
assessment of capabilities on both sides
of the partnership, Prof. Kumar noted diary in Switzerland
that while industry typically works
with mature people, academia works Fine chemicals producer, Anupam “The business of Anupam Europe
with immature students “and there are Rasayan Ltd., has stated that it has regis- AG will be similar to the main line of
only simple problems that can be given tered a wholly owned subsidiary in business of the company,” it said in a
them.” Basel, Switzerland. statement to the stock exchanges.

124 Chemical Weekly February 6, 2024

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