Report on the International Seminar
Topic:“Strategic Frontiers in Science and Technology: Health,
Agriculture, Energy and Environment” (SFST-2026)
Date: 7–8 October 2026
An International Seminar entitled “Strategic Frontiers in Science and Technology: Health, Agriculture, Energy and Environment (SFST-2026)” was organised on 7–8 October 2026 by the Department of
Molecular Biology & Biotechnology and the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) of Sripat Singh College, Jiaganj, West Bengal, in collaboration with the West Bengal Academy of Science & Technology
(WAST) and Dr. Sudhir Chandra Sur Institute of Technology & Sports Complex (SurTech). The first day of the seminar was held at Rabindra Sabhakaksha, Sripat Singh College, while the second day was
conducted online.
The seminar aimed to promote scientific discussion and knowledge exchange on recent advances in
health, agriculture, energy, environmental sustainability, and the application of artificial intelligence
(AI) in science and engineering. Researchers, academicians, faculty members and students from
different colleges, universities and research institutions participated in the programme.
The inaugural session included the felicitation of distinguished guests, lighting of the ceremonial lamp,
an inaugural song, the welcome address by Dr. Kamal Krishna Sarkar, Principal of Sripat Singh College,
and the release of the abstract book. The academic programme commenced with a Keynote Lecture by Prof. (Dr.) Amlan Jyoti Pal, President of WAST. This was followed by two Plenary Lectures delivered
by Prof. Chittaranjan Sinha, Professor at Jadavpur University, and Prof. Somnath Bhattacharya,
Professor at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (BCKV).
The second day began with a Keynote Lecture by Prof. Debashish Chatterjee, Professor at the
University of Kalyani. The subsequent Plenary Lectures were delivered by Dr. Supratim Dey, Research
Associate at Northwestern University, USA; Prof. Biplab Maji, Professor at IISER Kolkata; and Dr. Rakesh
Chatterjee, Project Scientist II at DBT-inStem. These sessions provided opportunities to discuss
contemporary scientific developments and emerging research perspectives.
The seminar also featured five Invited Lectures. Dr. Biswajit Das, Assistant Professor at SurTech; Dr. Pranab Kumar
Halder, Assistant Professor at Murshidabad Maharaja Krishnanath University; Dr. Dipankar Das of SurTech; and Dr. Md Raihan Uddin, Assistant Professor at Raja Narendra Lal Khan Women's College, delivered invited lectures on the first day. Dr.
Soumya Mukherjee, Assistant Professor at Jangipur College, delivered the fifth Invited Lecture on the second day.
In addition to the keynote, plenary and invited lectures, the seminar included a parallel poster presentation session on the first day and an online oral presentation session on the second day.
Participants presented their research findings and interacted with fellow researchers and academicians. The programme concluded with the announcement of presentation results, feedback
from participants, certificate distribution and a vote of thanks.
The abstract book of SFST-2026 contained 35 research abstracts covering contemporary areas of
scientific investigation. Overall, the two-day seminar served as an effective platform for interdisciplinary interaction, dissemination of scientific knowledge, development of research networks
and exploration of emerging challenges in science and technology. The event also reinforced Sripat Singh College's commitment to promoting research, academic collaboration and scientific innovation
at national and international levels.
Report on the Conference
Topic:Women in Science: Catalyzing Viksit Bharat
Venue: Raja N. L. Khan
Women's College (Autonomous), Paschim Medinipur
Date: 30 September 2026
A conference on “Women in Science: Catalyzing Viksit Bharat” was jointly organised by the West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology (WAST), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), India, and the Department of Chemistry, Raja N. L. Khan Women’s College (Autonomous), Paschim Medinipur,
West Bengal, on 30 September 2026. The inaugural session was presided over by Dr. Swapna Ghorai, Principal of the College, with Dr. Mrinal Kanti Paria serving as the Convener. Dr. Paria introduced the
programme, and Dr. Ghorai delivered the welcome address.
On behalf of WAST, Prof. Chittaranjan Sinha, Secretary, WAST, outlined the objectives of the
Academy and highlighted the contributions of women scientists and philosophers in India from ancient
times to the present day. Dr. Sharmila Chattopadhyay, Treasurer, WAST, and Emeritus Scientist, CSIR
IICB, discussed the significant contributions of women scientists, with particular emphasis on India.
Two newly elected WAST Fellows, Prof. Dewashish Upadhyay, Department of Geology, IIT Kharagpur,
and Prof. Saumen Hajra, Centre of Bio-Medical Research (CBMR), Lucknow were felicitated with WAST
certificates. They also presented their research contributions lucidly and in an accessible manner to inspire
the young participants.
During the lunch break, students and researchers presented their research posters. A panel of judges evaluated the posters, and selected entries were recommended for RSC prizes.
More than 200 students, research scholars and faculty members participated in the conference,
making it a significant initiative to promote scientific awareness, recognize women’s contributions to science and inspire the next generation of researchers.
Report on the Seminar
Topic:Innovative Drug Discovery through Ethnocultural Knowledge, Environmental Sustainability & Interdisciplinary Research
Venue: IIC Seminar Hall, Technology Bhavan, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
Date: 29 September 2026
The seminar on “Innovative Drug Discovery through Ethnocultural Knowledge, Environmental Sustainability & Interdisciplinary Research” was held on September 29, 2026, at the IIC Seminar
Hall, Technology Bhavan, Jadavpur University, Kolkata. It was jointly organized by TradMed-CoE, Jadavpur University; WAST; SFE-India; and IIC, Jadavpur University. The inaugural session began
with Vande Mataram, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Distinguished dignitaries included Prof. Chiranjib Bhattacharjee, Vice Chancellor, JU; Dr. Debajit Dutta, Registrar, JU; Prof. Chittaranjan Sinha, Secretary, WAST; Prof. Syamal Roy; Dr. Pranibesh Mandal; Dr. Nilanjan Ghosh;
and Prof. Pulok Kumar Mukherjee, Director, TradMed-CoE.
Addresses by Dignitaries
Traditional lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries
- Prof. Pulok Kumar Mukherjee welcomed the delegates, acknowledged the four joint organizers, and
encouraged young researchers to pursue impactful collaborative research. He highlighted traditional
medicine, sustainable harvesting, green extraction, interdisciplinary research, and TradMed-CoE’s
contributions to Indian Knowledge Systems.
- Prof. Chiranjib Bhattacharjee, Vice Chancellor, JU, appreciated the institutional collaboration and
encouraged students to engage in networking and outreach, emphasizing biodiversity conservation
alongside natural-product-based drug discovery.
- Dr. Debajit Dutta, Registrar, JU, stressed translating traditional healthcare knowledge into evidence
based medicines through translational research bridging laboratory discoveries and clinical
applications.
- Prof. Chittaranjan Sinha, Secretary, WAST, welcomed delegates and highlighted WAST’s
contributions to scientific research, rational thinking, and technological advancement at regional,
national, and international levels.
The seminar featured a heartfelt felicitation of Prof. Rajib Bandyopadhyay, Professor, Department of Instrumentation and Electronics Engineering, Jadavpur University, and former President of IIC-JU, in recognition of his academic service, administrative leadership, and contributions to innovation and entrepreneurship.
The scientific programme comprised a keynote address by Prof. Syamal Roy on infectious diseases and
natural product-based therapies against leishmaniasis, followed by four invited lectures. Dr. Santasabuj
Das discussed emerging technologies to combat antimicrobial resistance; Dr. Arun Bandyopadhyay
highlighted natural product-derived therapeutic leads for lung diseases; Dr. Sharad Daulatrao Pawar
presented Ayurveda-based drug discovery and reverse pharmacology; and Dr. Debprasad
Chattopadhyay discussed homeopathy and its applications in modern medicine.
Prof. Rajib Bandyopadhyay outlined IIC-JU initiatives supporting student entrepreneurship, innovation,
incubation, seed funding, and patent assistance, highlighting successful university-incubated startups.
Dr. Subhash C. Mandal presented SFE-India’s contributions to ethnopharmacology and announced the
26th International Congress of the International Society for Ethnopharmacology and 14th International
Congress of SFE-India, scheduled for November 27–29, 2027, at IIT Research Park, Rajarhat, Kolkata.
The competitive e-poster session featured 15 research scholars, evaluated by distinguished experts. Five
outstanding participants received Best Poster Awards. The seminar concluded with a vote of thanks by
Organizing Secretaries Dr. Pranibesh Mandal and Dr. Nilanjan Ghosh, acknowledging all dignitaries,
speakers, participants, and funding partners.
The event concluded with the singing of the National Anthem, followed by an official group
photograph of all dignitaries, faculty members, and student participants.
guest of honour Registrar, Jadavpur University and Rajib Bandyopadhyay, Jadavpur University"
Report on the Celebration of National Engineers’ Day 2026
Venue: St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata
Date: 15 September 2026
The WAST, in collaboration with St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata, celebrated National Engineers’ Day on 15 September 2026 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya through seminars and interactive session with students at the University Auditorium. Prof. Amlan J. Pal delivered the inaugural address.
Dr. Arpan Pal, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) delivered a lecture entitled “Intelligent Systems for the Cyber-Physical World”,
highlighting the growing significance of intelligent technologies and their applications in interconnected physical and digital systems.
His presentation provided insights into emerging technological developments and their potential impact on industry and society.
Prof. Amlan Chakrabarti, Professor and Director of the A. K. Choudhury School of Information Technology, University of Calcutta,
& Convener of Sectional Committee XIII: Electrical and Computational Engineering, delivered a talk entitled “Engineering the Future: From Artificial Intelligence to Quantum Computing.”
He drew attention to the rapid evolution of computational technologies and their growing importance in solving complex problems across diverse fields. The lecture emphasised the need to integrate emerging technologies into engineering education and research, while encouraging students to develop interdisciplinary knowledge, computational skills and innovative thinking.
The programme also included an interactive session with students, providing an opportunity to discuss emerging engineering challenges, technological innovation and future career opportunities. A group of students also presented their thoughts through PPT presentation and a jury team judged their potential of curiosity, creative thinking and an interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving. A few of them were awarded Prizes. More than 250 students participated in this program.
Report on the Annual Oration 2026
Topic:Precision, Perseverance, and Innovation: The Chandrayaan Story
Venue: Main Auditorium, IIT Kharagpur Research Park, New Town, Kolkata
Date: 23 May 2026
The Annual Oration 2026 of the West Bengal Academy of Science & Technology was delivered by Dr. S.Somanath, former Chairman, ISRO.
The session commenced with an introductory address by the President of WAST, who briefly reviewed the annual orations organized by the Academy in recent years.
He warmly welcomed the distinguished speaker by presenting him with a floral bouquet and extended his greetings to all participants attending the 2026 Annual Oration. Thereafter, the Secretary of WAST formally introduced the speaker, outlining his illustrious career, significant contributions, and notable achievements.
The lecture provided an insightful overview of India's lunar exploration programme, highlighting the scientific, technological, and managerial achievements behind the Chandrayaan missions.
Dr. Somanath traced the evolution of the programme from Chandrayaan-1, which made the landmark discovery of water molecules on the lunar surface, to Chandrayaan-2 and its ambitious objectives.
A key focus of the talk was the lessons learned from the Chandrayaan-2 mission. He explained how ISRO's detailed analysis of the Vikram lander's unsuccessful soft-landing attempt led to significant technological improvements and reinforced the importance of resilience, rigorous problem-solving, and continuous learning.
Dr. Somanath then described the innovations incorporated into Chandrayaan-3, including enhanced system reliability, extensive testing, and robust risk-mitigation measures. He highlighted how meticulous planning, precision engineering,
and teamwork culminated in the historic soft landing near the Moon's south pole.
Looking ahead, he outlined ISRO's future plans for lunar exploration and upcoming missions to Mars and Venus, while presenting India's long-term vision for space science and technological self-reliance.
The lecture concluded with an interactive and thought-provoking question-and-answer session, during which participants had the opportunity to engage directly with the speaker. In recognition of his outstanding contributions and as a token of the Academy's appreciation,
the President of WAST presented Dr. S. Somanath with a commemorative plaque on behalf of the Academy. The proceedings were formally brought to a close with a vote of thanks delivered by the Secretary of WAST, who expressed gratitude to the distinguished speaker, guests, and participants for their valuable presence and contributions.
presenting a flower bouquet to the speaker"
