The Society for Polymer Science, India

Dr. K. H. Gharda was conferred with the coveted Padma Shri in 2016 by President of India for his pioneering contributions to the field of Science, Technology, and Industry.

Dr Gharda was born on 25^th September 1929 and earned his BSc in Chemistry from Elphinstone College, Mumbai University, (1948) BSc (Tech) from University Department of Chemical Technology Mumbai (now ICT, 1950) followed by Masters in Chemical Engineering (1952) from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and PhD (1959) in Chemical Engineering from the same University. He moved to the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma along with his thesis advisor at the fag end of his PhD work and continued there for an additional two years as an Assistant Professor. Upon returning to India, he began teaching at the University Department of Chemical Technology, Mumbai before venturing into his entrepreneurial journey.

Dr Gharda is a fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore and was recognized by FICCI Award for Research and Technology Development and Commercialization of Poly Ether Ether Ketone (PEEK). He also received the American Institute of Chemist's "Chemical Pioneer" award. Dr Gharda has directed much of his wealth towards philanthropic activities via "The Abaan and Keki Gharda Memorial Trust", "Gharda Research Foundation" and "Gharda Institute of Technology" in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.

Deeply knowledgeable, both, in chemistry and chemical engineering, Dr Gharda has lived his life based on the credo "Earn honestly, live economically, spend generously and maximally for the community around, especially under privileged one."

Society of Polymer Science India (SPSI) announces the launch of the "Dr K.H. Gharda Industrial Innovation Award in Polymer Science" from the year 2023. This is a newly instituted biannual award named in honor of Dr Keki Hormusji Gharda, a pioneering entrepreneur who built the engineering polymers, pigments, and agrochemicals industry in India through outstanding research and innovation and finally brought products into the market.

Gharda Chemicals Limited (GCL), established in 1967, is a research-based company with four manufacturing units. Innovation through a vibrant R&D has marked the rise of GCL from a small unit in 1964 to one of the most successful and reputed companies in the agrochemicals Industry. His vision for the company is to convert "knowledge through products into wealth for the good of society."

Following are the details about the award:

1.The Award will recognize innovation in the area of polymer science and technology in industry. This work to be recognized can be related to chemistry, physics, material science, engineering, processing or application development of polymers. The innovative content of the work must be evidenced by appropriate documentation, such as patents. publications, new innovative products etc. The innovation must have market and business potentials.
2. Only work done in India will qualify for the Award.
3. The Award can be given to a team with an identified Team or Project Leader. The team can be entirely from industry or jointly from industry and academia or national laboratories, in case the work was done in collaboration.
4. The Award will consist of a cash prize of Rs. 1,50,000/- (Rupees One Lakh Fifty Thousand only), a silver medallion and a citation.
5. The Award is open only to Indian nationals.
6. The Awardee will be selected by a national jury constituted by SPSI
7. The awardee or a representative of the award-winning team will have an opportunity to deliver a lecture at the National Meeting of SPSI wherein the work can be presented.
8. Self-Nomination is also encouraged.

Dr K.H. Gharda Industrial Innovation Award in Polymer Science Awarded to Serigen Mediproducts Pvt. Ltd.

SPSI is happy to announce that the First "Dr K.H. Gharda Industrial Innovation Award in Polymer Science" has been awarded to the team from Serigen Mediproducts Pvt. Ltd. led by Dr Anuya Nisal. The award is given “For having developed the only natural silk-based high strength porous material, that can be used for bone-repair, through a novel process of solution reprocessing of silk”

Apart from Dr Nisal, the team consists of Dr. Premnath Venugopalan and Dr. Swati Shukla. The initial work was done at NCL Pune and the technology was transferred to Serigen for further development and commercialization. Congratulations to the whole team from Serigen and NCL Pune and wishing them all the very best for taking this innovation to every corner of the planet.