Awardees (from left to right) Prof A K Mallik (1); Prof V S Raja (3); Prof M A Quraishi (5); Prof M Indira Devi (7) and Prof Nitin Chattopadhyay.
Lumami, February 20 (MExN): A galaxy of eminent science academicians was honoured with Lifetime Achievement Awards by Nagaland University during the inaugural ceremony of the International Conference on Chemistry in Multidisciplinary Research (ICCMR–2026), organised by the Department of Chemistry from February 18–20.
At the inaugural programme held on February 18 at I Ihoshe Kinimi Hall, Lumami, the awards were presented to Prof A K Mallik; Prof V S Raja; Prof M A Quraishi; Prof M Indira Devi; and Prof Nitin Chattopadhyay.
Prof A K Mallik is a distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Punjabi University, Patiala, and is renowned for his extensive contributions to materials chemistry, nanotechnology and surface science. With a robust academic career spanning decades, he has guided numerous PhD and M.Phil scholars, published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, and spearheaded research on nanomaterials, thin films and electrochemical sensors with applications in energy storage and environmental monitoring. His accolades include participation in international collaborations and recognition for advancing interdisciplinary chemical research, solidifying his role as a pillar of excellence at Punjabi University.
Prof V S Raja is a distinguished faculty member in the Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, internationally recognised for his contributions to corrosion science and engineering. His research group has worked extensively on corrosion mechanisms, protection strategies and failure analysis in critical industrial environments, with applications spanning the power, chemical and transportation sectors. Prof Raja has published widely in high-impact journals, supervised numerous doctoral and master’s students, and collaborated closely with industry on technology development and problem-solving. He has also played a key role in strengthening IIT Bombay’s research ecosystem through interdisciplinary projects, specialised courses and professional outreach activities.
Prof M A Quraishi is a globally renowned expert in corrosion science and green chemistry, formerly serving as Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry at IIT (BHU) Varanasi, where he pioneered the development of eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors for industries such as petroleum, food processing, sugar, and paper and pulp. With an illustrious career spanning over 25 years, he holds a PhD and D.Sc., has more than 380 publications in high-impact journals, an h-index of 68, and over 15,000 citations. He has supervised 15 PhD scholars and led numerous funded projects from UGC, CSIR and UPCST. A recipient of prestigious honours including the Vigyan Ratan Award and multiple Lifetime Achievement Awards, and recognised as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), Prof Quraishi has recently been associated with AKS University, contributing his expertise to advancing research in synthetic organic chemistry and corrosion inhibition technologies.
Prof M Indira Devi (FRSC) serves as Senior Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Nagaland University, Lumami, and is a distinguished Visitor Nominee from MHRD, Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi, for Tripura University since March 2019. She previously held the position of Dean, School of Sciences at Nagaland University. Her expertise centres on Physical Chemistry, including theoretical studies of lanthanide complexation with bioactive ligands via 4f–4f transition spectra and the synthesis and characterisation of lanthanide nanomaterials.
Prof Nitin Chattopadhyay is a distinguished chemist and former Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Jadavpur University, where he also served as Dean of the Faculty of Science. Renowned for his pioneering research in photophysics, photochemistry, biophysical chemistry, surface chemistry and fluorescence sensing, he has authored publications garnering over 7,000 citations. His accolades include being elected Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences (FASc, 2010) and Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences India (FNASc, 2017), receiving a Doctor of Science (DSc, 2023) from Jadavpur University, the Bronze Medal from the Chemical Research Society of India (2013), and the Siksha Ratna Award (2019). Currently a CSIR Emeritus Scientist and Visiting Professor at Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, he continues to advance interdisciplinary studies on drug-protein interactions, nanoparticle research and time-resolved fluorometric processes, while contributing to editorial boards of leading journals including Heliyon Chemistry and Journal of Photochemistry & Photobiology B: Biology.
