CSIR-IICT, Aragen and Kewaunee sign MOU for offering “Finishing School” skill program to Postgraduate Students in Chemistry

Focus on developing talent in the areas of Synthetic Organic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry

March 20, 2023; Hyderabad, India: CSIR- Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Aragen Life Sciences and Kewaunee Labway India Pvt. Ltd. signed an MOU for conducting a skill development program focused on developing skills in Advanced Synthetic Organic Chemistry and pertinent Analytical Chemistry fields. It is a Finishing School program enabling hands-on training to postgraduate students in chemistry to make them industry-ready by the end of their curriculum.

The training will be offered by the scientists of CSIR-IICT in association with teaching assistance from Aragen at CSIR-IICT campus. The MOU was signed by Dr. D. Srinivasa Reddy, Director, CSIR-IICT, Manni Kantipudi, Chief Executive Officer, Aragen Life Sciences, and Sathyamurthy, Managing Director, Kewaunee Labway India in the presence of Union Minister of Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh.

India has historically been a major hub for chemistry talent pool. It is estimated that in the past decade, there have been about 80% growth in demand for chemistry graduates and around 37% for post-graduates driven by the growth in key sectors such as pharma, biotech and other life sciences and allied industries. With the continued focus on further boosting the life sciences and manufacturing sectors, demand for this talent pool is expected to pick momentum.

This tripartite MOU will enable leveraging the power of public-private partnership in further boosting the chemistry talent pool in the country and will benefit both students and industry.

Dr. Srinivasa Reddy, Director, CSIR-IICT expressed his happiness about the partnership with private industries in developing the skilled workforce and said “Since 2017, under the CSIR integrated skill initiative, CSIR-IICT has been conducting upskilling programs to PG students with hands-on training in the area of chemical sciences and helps enhance their chances of employability. However, the current engagement is going to nurture the students as per the course designed in consultation with the industry to provide industry-ready candidates with an increased assurance of placement and thereby help meet the huge requirement of skilled HR by the industry”.

Speaking about the MOU, Manni Kantipudi, Chief Executive Officer, Aragen Life Sciences, said, “India is well positioned to play a bigger role in the global R&D and manufacturing space which will require access to a larger pool of qualified and trained talent. We are delighted to partner with CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad and Kewaunee in conducting a skill development program that will enhance India’s scientific talent pool. Senior scientists at Aragen have rich global experience and exposure, and we will be happy to leverage their knowledge in developing the course curriculum and providing teaching assistance.”

“There is an urgent need to bridge the skill gap in youth and aid rural talent get integrated into India’s industrial growth story. Kewaunee has been systemically investing in the promotion of basic science education and research through our numerous CSR projects. We are excited to partner with CSIR-IICT and Aragen to train aspiring science postgraduates and help them contribute meaningfully to the sector” remarked Sathyamurthy, Managing Director, Kewaunee Labway India.

The three organizations will provide theoretical and practical training as per the agreed course curriculum, conduct screening for selecting students for the program, provide lodging and boarding facilities, conduct evaluations and issue completion certificates to eligible students.

About CSIR-IICT: CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad was established in 1944, as a constituent laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India. It is internationally recognized for its contributions to chemistry & chemical technology and is an ideal place for taking ideas to commercialization through state-of-the-art research and development. The primary strength of CSIR-IICT is its rich pool of scientists, post-docs and doctoral students and strong support infrastructure with a well-established NABL accredited Analytical facility, GLP-recognised animal house, kilo lab facility, pilot plants and USFDA approved NMR centre. CSIR-IICT has developed advanced, sustainable and affordable technologies in agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, polymers and coatings, Fluoro & fine chemicals, clean environment and energy. Noteworthy to mention are Hydrazine Hydrate, Toluene derivatives, AZT (azidothymidine), Misoprostol, repurposed drugs for Sars-Cov2, adjuvants for vaccines etc, the institute has also contributed largely towards societal technologies in the area of waste management, potable water & integrated pest management using pheromones for crop protection. CSIR-IICT is a reliable destination as knowledge partner for pharma, chemical and biotech industries. Please visit www.iict.res.in for more details

About Aragen: Aragen Life Sciences is a leading R&D and manufacturing solutions provider to the global life sciences industries. It offers a range of solutions across the drug development continuum to advance small and large-molecule programs. With more than 22 years of experience, the Company operates through a global network of six sites with a team of ~4300 employees and 450+ PhDs. Its expertise and experience have enabled over 400 customers (including 6 of the top 10 pharma companies globally) in advancing their research programs from early discovery through development and commercialization. Aragen’s innovative mindset, infrastructure, flexible business models, clear purpose, and proprietary project management platform have enabled it to effectively scale and service large pharma, biotech, agrochemical, and animal health industries globally. Visit www.aragen.com for more details.

About Kewaunee: Kewaunee Labway India, subsidiary of 117 year old Kewaunee Scientific Corporation, USA, is the Global leader in designing and building turnkey laboratory infrastructure for Pharma, Biotech, Petroleum, Food & Beverages, Semiconductor Industries. Kewaunee combines manufacturing and infrastructure expertise with industry 4.0 technologies to deliver next-generation laboratories to our clients. Visit www.kewaunee.in for more details.

Media Contacts:

CSIR-IICT: Dr. M. Chandrasekharam, csmalapaka@iict.res.in

Aragen Life Sciences: Sandeep Nair, Sandeep.nair@aragen.com