IIT Bombay Launches Centre of Excellence for Desalination, Water Recycling – News18

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, has launched a new centre of excellence on membrane technologies for desalination, water recycling and brine management. During the launch, the centre’s new advanced instrumentation facility, as well as the website, were also unveiled. The centre’s goals are to create techniques and technology for desalination, water reuse, and sustainable treatment, with the active participation of researchers from India and throughout the world. In addition, the purpose is to aid in the incubation and commercialisation of developed technology and products.

“This Centre represents a significant step towards ensuring safe, reliable and sustainable potable water sources for rural and urban India for industrial as well as domestic applications by using innovative membrane technologies,” read an official statement.

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Professor Swatantra Pratap Singh of the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering is the centre’s director. During the event, Professor Milind Atrey, Dean (R&D), IIT Bombay, Professor S Sudarshan, Deputy Director (AIA), IIT Bombay, Professor Subhankar Karmarkar, Head, ESED, IIT Bombay and Dr Praveen Arora, Head, Water Technologies Cell, DST were present.

The growing population, climate change, and rise in water shortages have increased the need for non-traditional freshwater sources, IIT Bombay added. In the future, new-generation procedures will have to incorporate seawater and wastewater to achieve the needed freshwater purity that is when desalination plants will be in demand.

Many states in the country have suggested desalination projects to address the country’s water demand, according to IIT Bombay. The new centre will use cutting-edge technology to address current and emerging desalination concerns.

Further in the statement, IIT Bombay announced that five IITs will collaborate with diverse sectors, NGOs, and other stakeholders to develop various desalination, water recycling technologies and brine management. The five IITs are — IIT Kharagpur, IIT Tirupati, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IIT Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, IIT Bombay named its famous main building after alumni and Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani in July in recognition of his financial contribution to the Institute. According to reports, the institute’s main building will be called the Nandan Nilekani Main Building. Nilekani contributed Rs 315 crore to his alma school in June to commemorate 50 years of his involvement with the institute.