Another feather in IICT's cap

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MAY 30. The Hyderabad-based Indian Institute of Chemical Technology has received the prestigious ISO 9002 accreditation for its analytical services with commercial relevance this year.

"The institute's earnings from such services have reached an all- time high in the year 1999-2000 and our idea is to intensify research efforts in programmes of commercial and strategic importance," the IICT director, Dr. K.V. Raghavan, said in a statement here on Tuesday, listing out the various research and development activities taken up by the institute during the year 1999-2000.

"Some of the promising technologies slated for 2000-01 release are recyclable granulated yeast for alcohol fermentation, eight new bulk drug technologies and HFC - 134, a technology package, and Benzaldehyde plant engineering designs for setting up commercial plants," he said.

The institute had unfolded several new research and development initiatives which were of long term national and international importance. "Synthetic aviation lubricants from renewable sources, asymmetric catalysis for developing high purity optical isomers and information technology applications for the chemical sector were on the cards," he said.

Dr. Raghavan said some of the major ongoing research efforts included "methanol reforming of transportable fuel cells, biomass gasification, chemical precursors for photo-resist material, process standardisation of anti-arthritic drugs." Efforts were also on intensifying research for an integrated pest management project with field trials in Andhra Pradesh.

He said the institute's patent record this year has been exceptionally good. Forty six Indian and 16 overseas patents were filed in a single year and this is the best patent record ever registered by the institute, he said.

Bulk drug industry

The Centre has recently given its nod to a two-year mission-mode programme, "Uptech" and IICT would extend crucial technological upgradation inputs for the city's bulk drug industry.

The Centre, the Andhra Pradesh Government, industry and external agencies will share the cost of the project estimated to be Rs. 3 crores. As per the programme, the Patancheru Effluent Treatment Limited and three other bulk drug technologies being employed by the industry would receive environmentally efficient process technologies.

In addition to this, the IICT and a consortium of medium and small scale bulk drug units would soon enter into what was termed as "an unique agreement to attract overseas custom synthetics contract," the IICT director said. They would jointly set up a specialised process development facility on the IICT premises for speedy provision of data and samples to overseas sponsors.

On the financial front, the institute's external cash flows had crossed Rs. 10 crores for the first time in its 55-year history and more than a half of these earnings were from the Chemical Industry. In yet another milestone, the institute's earnings during the first half of the ninth five year plan were to the tune of Rs. 21 crores. This was equivalent to the total earnings of the institute during the eighth five year plan. Its international projects also registered more than a 35 per cent growth.

The IICT-Indian Chemical Industry linkage had received a major fillip during the year with as many as 66 new contracts being signed and 42 processes and designs released for use by the industry.

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Section  : Southern States
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