Prof. Rintu Banerjee

Deputy Director, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Professor, Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering

Professor Rintu Banerjee is an internationally acclaimed scientist, academic leader, and technology innovator whose pioneering contributions have significantly advanced the fields of industrial biotechnology, microbial biotechnology, renewable energy, bioprocess engineering, circular bioeconomy, and sustainable biomass valorization. She currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, one of India's premier institutions of higher education and research. In 2024, she created history by becoming the first woman Deputy Director of IIT Kharagpur, marking a significant milestone in the institute's distinguished legacy.

With more than three decades of excellence in teaching, research, innovation, and academic administration, Prof. Banerjee has established herself as one of India's leading researchers in biotechnology and sustainable engineering. Her work seamlessly integrates fundamental scientific research with industrial applications, resulting in technologies that contribute to renewable energy production, environmental sustainability, waste valorization, functional foods, biomaterials, and green manufacturing.

Academic Leadership

Throughout her distinguished career, Prof. Banerjee has held several prestigious leadership positions at IIT Kharagpur, including:

• Deputy Director, IIT Kharagpur

• Professor, Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering

• Former Head, Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering

• Founder Head and Chairperson, P. K. Sinha Centre for Bioenergy and Renewables

• Former Head, Centre for Rural Development, Innovative and Sustainable Technology (CRDIST)

• Coordinator of several national and international collaborative research programmes

Her administrative vision has played a crucial role in strengthening interdisciplinary research, promoting innovation-driven education, fostering industry collaboration, and advancing sustainable technologies.

Research Expertise

Prof. Banerjee's research encompasses a broad spectrum of interdisciplinary domains, including:

• Industrial Biotechnology

• Microbial Biotechnology

• Bioprocess Engineering

• Bioenergy and Biofuels

• Biomass Valorization

• Circular Bioeconomy

• Waste-to-Wealth Technologies

• Renewable Energy

• Industrial Enzyme Technology

• Lignocellulosic Biorefineries

• Environmental Biotechnology

• Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals

• Biomaterials and Natural Polymers

• 3D Bioprinting and Biomedical Applications

• Fermentation Technology

• Sustainable Process Development

Research Contributions

Prof. Banerjee has made pioneering contributions in several important research areas, including:

• Development of sustainable technologies for first-generation (1G) and second-generation (2G) bioethanol production.

• Production of industrial enzymes through microbial fermentation.

• Biomass conversion using microbial and enzymatic processes.

• Wastewater treatment integrated with resource and energy recovery.

• Development of biodegradable biomaterials and natural polymers from agro-industrial residues.

• Circular bioeconomy-based process development for agricultural waste utilization.

• Functional food development for diabetic and renal patients.

• Sustainable production of lactic acid and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA).

• Bioprocess optimization for lignocellulosic biomass conversion.

• Development of microbial technologies for biomethane and biofuel production.

Research Funding and Sponsored Projects

Prof. Banerjee has successfully led numerous research projects funded by major national and international agencies. Her projects have attracted funding from organizations including:

• Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

• Department of Science & Technology (DST)

• Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)

• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)

• Ministry of Education, Government of India

• Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

• Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI)

• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)

• SPARC Programme

• European Funding Agencies

• Various industrial partners and international collaborators

These projects have focused on renewable energy, biotechnology, sustainable agriculture, biomaterials, wastewater treatment, industrial enzymes, and circular economy technologies.

Innovation and Technology Transfer

A hallmark of Prof. Banerjee's career is her emphasis on translational research and industrial implementation. She has:

• Developed numerous commercially relevant technologies.

• Successfully transferred multiple technologies to industry.

• Secured a large portfolio of Indian and international patents.

• Promoted entrepreneurship through industry-academia collaboration.

• Contributed to sustainable industrial biotechnology and green manufacturing.

Publications and Scientific Impact

Prof. Banerjee has an outstanding research record reflected by:

• Extensive publications in internationally reputed peer-reviewed journals.

• Authorship of books and book chapters in biotechnology and bioenergy.

• High citation impact with broad international recognition.

• Invited keynote and plenary lectures at national and international conferences.

• Active collaborations with leading universities, research institutes, and industries worldwide.

Areas of Societal Impact

Her research has contributed significantly to:

• Sustainable biofuel production

• Renewable energy technologies

• Climate change mitigation

• Agricultural waste valorization

• Circular economy

• Green bioprocesses

• Industrial biotechnology

• Food security and nutrition

• Environmental protection

• Rural technology development

Vision

The defining hallmark of Prof. Rintu Banerjee's career has been her ability to bridge the "valley of death" between laboratory research and its large-scale implementation. Through her innovative research, several technologies have been successfully transferred to national and multinational industries, contributing to the sustainable development of society. Her pioneering technologies address global challenges in energy, the environment, healthcare, agriculture, and food systems. Through excellence in research, education, technology commercialization, and institutional leadership, Prof. Banerjee continues to inspire students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers while advancing IIT Kharagpur's mission of creating knowledge for economic and societal benefit.

MAJOR AWARDS

§  Sustainability Change Maker, 2024, IIT Goa

§  Received the Technology Development and Deployment Excellence Award 2022

§  Received the Institute Chair Professorship Award 2021 from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, India in 2021

§  Received the Industrial Medal Award 2018 for outstanding contribution in Biotech R&D resulting in commercialization of a product/process from The Biotech Research Society of India, Thiruvananthapuram, India in 2019

§  Received the Dr. Prem Dureja Endowment Award 2015-16 for outstanding contributions by in the field of agriculture from National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi, India in 2017

§  Top teaching feedback for teaching the subjects, Plant metabolites and separation technology, both theory and laboratory courses offered in autumn semester 2016 based on student feedback from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, India in 2016

§  Received the Madan Mohan Malviya Award 2014 for Senior Faculty in the field of Biotechnology from The Biotech Research Society of India, Thiruvananthapuram, India in 2015

§  Received the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award 2013 for outstanding contribution in the field of Natural Resource Management and Agricultural Engineering from Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India in 2014

§  Received the Most Inspiring women Engineer/Scientist for the year 2014 for the exemplary work in the field of Science & Technology from Engineering Watch, New Delhi, India in 2014

§  Received the Panjabrao Deshmukh Outstanding Women Scientist Award 2012 for outstanding women agricultural scientists from Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India in 2013

§  Received the Recognition Award for outstanding contribution in the area of Agricultural Engineering & Technology from the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi, India in 2010

§  Received the Louis Pasteur Award 2009 from Association of Microbiologists in India, Haryana, India in 2009

§  Received the Best Poster Presentation Award at International Congress on Bioprocesses in Food Industries 2008, organized by Department of Microbiology, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India from November 6 -8, 2008

§  Received the Best Woman Bioscientist Award 2003 from The Biotech Research Society of India, Thiruvananthapuram, India in 2003

§  Received the Late Sinha Roy Memorial Award 1999 for publishing two best articles in January and August issues of the Journal of Indian Leather Technologists Associations in 1999

§  Received the Young Scientist Award 1994 from the Association for Food Scientists and Technologists, India in 1995

§  Received the Young Scientist Project Award 1994 from the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, India in 1994

FELLOWSHIPS AND MEMBERSHIPS OF ACADEMY/SOCIETIES

§  Life Member of Association of Microbiologists, India

§  Member of Bio-Energy Society of India, India

§  Member of Society of Biological Chemists, India

§  Member of Chemical Engineering Association, IIT Kharagpur, India

§  Member of Association for Food Scientist and Technologist, India

§  Life Member in The Biotech Research Society of India, India

§  Life Member in Asian Federation of Biotechnology, South Korea

§  Member of European Peptide Society, France

Fellow: National Academy of Sciences, India, Allahabad (NASI)

Fellow: National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi (NAAS)

Fellow: Biotech Research Society of India, Thiruvananthapuram (BRSI)

Fellow: Indian Academy of Microbiological Sciences, Haryana (AMI)

Fellow: West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology, Kolkata (WBAST)

Fellow: Indian Chemical Society, Kolkata (ICS)