Technology Development Efforts Leave a Lot to be Desired: Dr. Saraswat

India’s technology development efforts in critical areas leaves a lot to be desired, despite some well known successes in respect to nuclear, defence and space technologies. In the chemicals sphere, the lack of efforts to develop domestic capabilities that go beyond detailed engineering in critical areas such as ammonia/urea and coal gasification is glaring.

These were some observations made by Dr. V.K. Saraswat, former Director General, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and presently member, NITI Aayog, while speaking at the Foundation Day Celebrations of the UDCT Alumni Association (UAA), on May 11, which is also celebrated nationwide as Technology Day.

Dr. V. K. Saraswat

Dr. Saraswat noted that collaborative efforts have enabled the country to develop crucial technologies, such as for propellants needed for defence and civilian rocket use. Teams of scientists, he added, were able to design, pilot, scale-up and commercialise complex technologies denied to the country due sanctions in the wake of the Pokhran nuclear explosions.

Among the glaring failures have been the inability to develop technologies for ammonia and urea manufacture, despite the public sector engineering company Projects and Development India Ltd. (PDIL) having set up more than a dozen fertiliser plants – all based on important knowhow. Likewise, in coal gasification, while engineering giant Larsen & Toubro has been instrumental in building mammoth gasifiers – including several that have been shipped to China – there is lack of fundamental design capability and the country has to rely on imports for basic technologies.

UAA Foundation

Methanol economy

Dr. Saraswat, who is a great advocate of the use of methanol as a source of energy and as chemical feedstock, noted that the government has now initiated a programme to build indigenous capabilities for gasification of Indian coals that have high ash content, and if successful could bring down the costs of gasification plants by a significant extent.

The methanol that will be produced using the syngas obtained by coal gasification can find use as energy source by blending into automotive fuel; converted into dimethyl ether, which can be blended into diesel or used as an alternative to LPG; used as a source of hydrogen in fuel cells; or converted into olefins and several other chemicals therefrom. “The idea of the methanol economy is not new and China has made great strides,” Dr. Saraswat noted.

Awards to alumni

Saraswat gave away the ‘UAA-ICT Distinguished Alumnus Awards’ to four alumni of the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT):

Nilesh Gupta, Managing Director, Lupin Laboratories Ltd. (Entrepreneur);

Ashok Nanda, President, PMC Specialties Group (USA) (Entrepreneur);

Nitin Nabar, Executive Director & President (Chemicals), Godrej Industries Ltd. (Professional); and

Vijay Ratnaparkhe, President & Managing Director, Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (Professional).

Dr. Aman Desai, Director, Aether Industries Pvt. Ltd., received the ‘UAA Young Achiever Award’.

Alumni support sought for campus development

Speaking on the occasion, ICT Vice Chancellor, Prof. G.D. Yadav, sought the support of the alumni for the new campuses that are now being set up by ICT in Jalna (Marathwada District, Maharashtra) and at Bhubaneswar (Odisha). While the Government of Maharashtra is supporting the former, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is funding the latter as part of its skill development and human resource development initiatives.

While both centres will start from the coming academic year, the plan is to move to a dedicated campus at each location within a couple of years. While the Maharashtra state government has already allocated land at Jalna for the campus, funds for its development are expected to be allocated in the forthcoming monsoon session of parliament. “Only last week I met the Odisha Chief Minister and have sought land allocation for the Bhibaneshwar campus and have received a positive response,” Prof. Yadav noted.

Prof. Padma Devarajan, President, UAA, highlighted the key projects now carried out by the alumni association including a mentoring programme for students, which is being driven by several Chapters in India and abroad; and the support for infrastructure development at ICT.