IIT Kharagpur Appoints The First Female Deputy Director

Prof. Rintu Banerjee was named Deputy Director of the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, making her the first woman to be appointed in this post. This appointment is an essential milestone in the institute's history, as it recognises Prof. Banerjee's extraordinary contributions to biotechnology.

Prof. Banerjee's illustrious career at IIT Kharagpur, marked by her leadership in various key positions, has left an indelible mark on our institute. As the founder and current chair of the P K Sinha Centre for Bioenergy and Renewables, she has spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives. Her tenure as the Head of the Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering for three years has been a testament to her dedication and expertise. 

Among her many responsibilities at IIT Kharagpur as Chairperson of the Centre of Excellence in Precision Agriculture & Food Nutrition, Coordinator of the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG), and the nodal Coordinator for Australia and New Zealand for the Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC).

Prof. Banerjee's academic journey commenced with a PhD in Microbial Biotechnology from the esteemed Chemical Engineering Department of IIT Kharagpur. Her career has been marked by a robust emphasis on industry-academia joint research, a testament to her ability to bridge the gap between academia and industry. This approach has led to the successful transfer of numerous innovations to various industries and the issuance of several national and international patents, further solidifying her expertise and impact in the field. 

Her significant accomplishments include successfully commercialising 1G and 2G ethanol technologies. Prof. Banerjee has also made important contributions to academic literature, writing two volumes on environmental biotechnology and OMICS-based methods for plant biotechnology. Her research has been sponsored by several government and corporate funding entities, including the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).