Business Standard ·
Royal Society of Chemistry launches India Sustainability Forum 2026 in Pune
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], September 16: The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) convened the inaugural India Sustainability Forum (ISF) 2026 in partnership with CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune and INFLIBNET Centre at the CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune bringing together leading scientists, industry experts, policymakers and innovators to explore how chemistry can accelerate India's sustainability ambitions.
Held under the theme "Advancing Sustainability through Chemistry", the one-day forum served as a national platform for dialogue, collaboration and knowledge exchange on some of India's most pressing sustainability challenges, including climate action, energy transition, circularity, sustainable manufacturing and environmental stewardship.
India is at a pivotal stage in its sustainability journey. Achieving national goals in areas such as clean energy, resource efficiency and sustainable industrial growth will require science-led innovation and stronger partnerships across academia, industry, government and the wider research ecosystem. Chemistry and the chemical sciences are expected to play a central role in enabling these solutions, from developing sustainable materials and advancing green chemistry to supporting cleaner manufacturing processes and resource-efficient technologies.
The India Sustainability Forum 2026 aims to strengthen connections between research and real-world impact by fostering collaboration, supporting innovation and encouraging engagement between scientific and industrial communities.
Dr Venkatesh Sarvasiddhi, Managing Director, RSC India and South Asia, said: "India has an extraordinary opportunity to lead the way in developing science-driven solutions for sustainability. Through the India Sustainability Forum, we aim to bring together diverse stakeholders to share knowledge, build partnerships and accelerate the translation of research into meaningful societal and environmental impact."
The forum featured keynote addresses and expert panel discussions involving distinguished leaders from government, academia and industry. Speakers include representatives from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, CSIR-NCL, INFLIBNET Centre, Shiv Nadar University, JNCASR, IIT Bombay, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company, Pidilite Industries, Praj Industries, and several other leading institutions.
The programme included a virtual address on the Royal Society of Chemistry's global sustainability strategy by Jo Reynolds, Director, Global Impact, Royal Society of Chemistry, alongside recognition programmes celebrating leadership and innovation in sustainable chemistry. These include She Leads Sustainability, the Chemistry for Sustainability: Emerging Researcher Award, and recognition of RSC Fellows from the Pune region.
A video address from Dr Helen Pain MBE CSci CChem FRSC, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Society of Chemistry, reinforced the organisation's commitment to supporting scientific excellence and sustainable innovation worldwide.
As the first edition of what is envisioned as a flagship event for the Royal Society of Chemistry in India, the India Sustainability Forum aims to catalyse meaningful collaborations, strengthen the connection between science and society, and help accelerate the development of sustainable solutions for India's future.
The event was organised in partnership with CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune, with support from the INFLIBNET Centre, alongside academic and industry associations from across India.
Dr Ashish Lele, Director of CSIR NCL Pune, said "As the host institution, we are absolutely delighted to partner with the Royal Society of Chemistry and IFLIBNET in bringing together an exciting community of researchers, industry leaders, policymakers, innovators and young scientists to exchange ideas in the panel discussions, and shape solutions for a more sustainable future.
"Sustainability is the defining challenge at the planet level, at national level, at societal level and at societal levels."
Those thoughts were echoed by the keynote speakers, including Dr Devika Madali, Director of INFLIBNET Centre, said:who said: "Sustainability is practically not a research question anymore. It's about existence itself."
In his keynote, Dr BLV Prasad, Chief Scientist CSIR National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, concluded: "Climate change doesn't need a passport or a visa".
Notes for editors: About the Royal Society of Chemistry
We work at the heart of the chemical sciences community to create a future that is more open, more green, and more equal. Together, we're helping chemistry to change the world.
We enable exciting progress that would be otherwise impossible. As an independent catalyst for change, we connect people and ideas through partnerships, conferences, events and networks that span the globe.
We publish scientists' discoveries and insights so they can be used to improve our health, environment and lifestyles. And we're transforming how we do that with a commitment to open access: everyone, everywhere, should have the same potential to read and share knowledge.
We care about protecting our natural environment, about tackling discrimination to build a truly inclusive world, and about making cutting-edge chemistry accessible wherever it's needed for the good of society.
It's all built upon and lifted up by our diverse global membership, with every one of those 60,000 members bringing a unique and valuable perspective. The chemical science community has the knowledge, skills and passion to make those a reality - together, we're changing the world.
Find out more about our work on sustainability and how you could join our global community in taking up the challenge of achieving it, through the link: Sustainability
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First Published: Sep 16 2026 | 2:15 PM IST