IIT Bombay's Gogri Hub To Accelerate Domestic Membrane Technology IndustryThe Gogri Hub for Membranes Research – a Unit of Translational Research Centre – Chemicals and Materials is set up at IIT Bombay to establish as a preeminent center for cutting-edge research and development in membrane technologies. As per the institute, given the relative absence of domestic membrane development and manufacturing in India, there was a critical need for focused research in this domain.
How the Gogri Hub for Membrances Research is going to be a breakthrough?
With the setting up of the Gogri Hub for Membranes Research, IIT Bombay aspires to lead the way in developing groundbreaking solutions to global challenges and elevate India’s position as a frontrunner in the field of membrane science and technology. The membrane research facilities are still in the very initial stages globally. The state-of-the-art Gogri Hub for Membranes Research will allow IIT Bombay to harness and mature its research expertise in domains such as water and wastewater treatment, biomedical applications, alternative energy, and gas separation, the higher technology institute believes.
According to IIT Bombay the institute’s faculty will lead application-oriented, long-term interdisciplinary research projects and develop new products including Gas Separations, Hybrid Membrane Systems, Hollow Fiber Membranes – which will be used in Water and Wastewater Treatment, Kidney Dialysis, building Bioartificial Organs, Ion Conducting Membranes for alkaline electrolysis of water, and many more. The Hub will also actively collaborate with other Indian academics, global industry and start-ups to accelerate the commercialization journey of their technologies.
At the inauguration of the Gogri Hub for Membranes Research, Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director, IIT Bombay, emphasized its importance in fostering innovation and collaboration. He said, “The setting up of the Gogri Hub for Membranes Research marks a significant leap forward in our quest for sustainable membrane solutions that play a pivotal role in advancing decarbonization efforts and ensuring a cleaner, healthier planet for generations to come.”
Mr. Kannan Srinivasan, Director of CSIR-CSMCRI, highlighted the potential impact of membrane technologies on various industries and the broader society. He said, over the last 6 decades, CSIR, have made large strides in membrane research. Our successful projects such as a desalination project in Kutch, Gujarat. This project led to the village becoming a self -sufficient in getting drinking water.” He furhter added that the Membrane technology will play a critical role in the energy sector along with water& waste management and healthcare.
Event Highlights
The research facility has been set up with the support of Gogri Family and IITB’s distinguished alumnus, Mr. Mirik Gogri. Speaking at the event he said, “As proud alumni of IIT Bombay, the establishment of the ‘Gogri Hub for Membranes Research’ is our humble contribution to the legacy of excellence at our alma mater. We believe that by fostering interdisciplinary research and industry partnerships, the Gogri Hub will not only drive advancements in membrane technology but also serve as a catalyst for addressing critical global challenges at scale in the areas of climate change mitigation and healthcare, among others.”
The event saw the panel discussion themened on membrane reserch in different sectors. The first panel discussion explored the theme “Indigenisation and Sustainability of Membranes in Healthcare and Water,” the panellists highlighted the imperative for indigenous technologies to address current challenges, stressing the importance of benchmarking our technologies across diverse markets. While the second panel discussion explored the theme of the “Potential of Membrane Technologies in India in the Energy and Separation Sector,”.