Three IIT Guwahati Faculty Elected as Fellows of National Academies

Published 14 Sept 2026 | Category Awards | Office Faculty Affairs

IIT Guwahati is pleased to announce the recognition of three distinguished faculty members for their significant contributions to research and scientific advancement in their respective fields.

Prof. Bhisma Kumar Patel (Department of Chemistry) was elected Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), 2027.

His citation from INSA recognises his pioneering work in sustainable catalytic processes, combining mechanistic insight with green chemistry. His work has enabled efficient C–H functionalisation, helped establish and correct structural assignments, and advanced photocatalytic and electrochemical methods for the selective synthesis of complex molecules. This honour places him among a group of 60 Indian scientists elected as INSA Fellows this cycle.

Prof Patel has been a part of IIT Guwahati since its earliest days, joining the Institute as Visiting Associate Professor of Chemistry in 1997 after his post-doctoral research fellow at Max-Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine. Since then, he has served in a number of academic and administrative roles, including Head of the Dept of Chemistry, Member of the Board of Governors, Dean of Student Affairs, and Chairman Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE).

Prof. Mihir K. Purkait (Department of Chemical Engineering) has been elected Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI), 2026.

Prof. Purkait has been a part of IIT Guwahati since 2004, when he joined the Department of Chemical Engineering as a faculty member. His research spans membrane technology, advanced separation processes, water and wastewater treatment, environmental pollution control, advanced materials, and the conversion of CO₂ into useful products and liquid fuels.

Over the course of his career at IIT Guwahati, he has served in several academic and administrative roles, including Dean of Alumni and External Relations, Head of the Centre for the Environment, and Professor Chair of the National Jal Jeevan Mission under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. He has also contributed extensively to water treatment and environmental technologies through research, technology transfer and engagement with government and industry.

Prof. Biman Mandal (Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering (BSBE)) was elected Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI), 2026

Prof. Mandal has been a part of IIT Guwahati since 2011 and is currently a Professor in the department, where his research focuses on biomaterials, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, 3D bioprinting of human tissues and organs, stem cell-based regeneration, targeted drug delivery and 3D disease models.

Over the course of his career at IIT Guwahati, he has also served as Associate Dean, Academics (UG). His research has resulted in more than 200 publications, 28 patents and multiple technologies transferred to industry. He has received several prestigious honours, including the Swarnajayanti Fellowship, the S. Ramachandran National Bioscience Award for Career Development, the B.M. Birla Science Prize in Biology and the INSA Medal for Young Scientists.

IIT Guwahati congratulates the three faculty members on this prestigious recognition.