Dear Members of IIChE,

Greetings from the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (IIChE).

It gives me immense pleasure to address our esteemed members, academicians, researchers, industry professionals, and student community through this edition of the IIChE Newsletter.

The year 2026 has been a significant one for the chemical engineering fraternity. I am delighted to note the successful conduct of the Advances in Chemical and Material Sciences (ACMS 2026) during April 2026 at Kolkata, which brought together researchers and professionals from diverse disciplines to exchange ideas and explore innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. The conference highlighted the growing importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration in shaping the future of science, engineering, and technology.

We now look forward to two major forthcoming events of our Institute. SCHEMCON 2026, to be hosted at MIT Academy of Engineering, Alandi, Pune, will provide an excellent platform for students and young professionals to showcase their talents, innovations, and technical capabilities. This will be followed by CHEMCON 2026, by the flagship annual convention of IIChE, to be organized by IIChE Mumbai Regional Centre and Hosted by the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai. These prestigious events will bring together leaders from academia, industry, research organizations, and government agencies to deliberate on emerging trends, technological advancements, sustainability, and the future directions of the chemical engineering profession. I invite all members to actively participate and contribute to the success of these landmark events.

At this important juncture, I would like to draw the attention of all our members to a matter of strategic significance for the profession. As engineering admissions are currently underway across the country, it is imperative that we collectively work towards enhancing the visibility and attractiveness of Chemical Engineering among students and parents.

Chemical Engineering today offers exciting career opportunities in emerging areas such as green hydrogen, renewable energy, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, advanced materials, semiconductor manufacturing, environmental sustainability, process systems engineering, artificial intelligence applications in process industries, and circular economy technologies. Despite its immense potential and societal relevance, many aspiring students remain unaware of the diverse opportunities offered by our discipline.

I therefore earnestly appeal to all IIChE Regional Centres, Student Chapters, academic institutions, and industry members to undertake focused awareness campaigns to promote Chemical Engineering programmes. Career guidance programmes, school and higher-secondary outreach activities, interactions with parents and students, webinars, industry visits, social media campaigns, and public engagement initiatives can significantly contribute to attracting talented young minds to our profession.

I also encourage our distinguished members to write articles, opinion pieces, success stories, and technical features in regional and national newspapers, magazines, and digital media platforms. Such efforts will help communicate the critical role played by chemical engineers in national development, industrial growth, environmental protection, energy security, healthcare, and sustainable technological advancement.

The future strength of our profession depends on our ability to inspire and attract the next generation. Let us work together to showcase the transformative impact of Chemical Engineering and motivate young students to choose this dynamic and rewarding field of study.

I take this opportunity to appreciate the dedicated efforts of our Regional Centres, Student Chapters, Office Bearers, and volunteers whose commitment continues to strengthen IIChE and its activities across the country. I also congratulate members who have achieved notable accomplishments in research, innovation, entrepreneurship, industrial practice, and professional service.

Together, let us continue to advance the profession of Chemical Engineering, foster innovation, strengthen academia-industry partnerships, and contribute meaningfully to the sustainable development of our nation.

I convey my best wishes for the grand success of SCHEMCON 2026 and CHEMCON 2026 and look forward to meeting all of you at these events.

Prof. C. Karthikeyan

President-2026

Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, Kolkata, India