Ashoka University appoints Prof. Sourav Pal as Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry

Ashoka University announces the appointment of Prof. Sourav Pal as Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry. Prof. Sourav Pal completed five-year tenure as Director of Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata and joined Ashoka University in October 2022. He has previously been the Director of CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune and worked at NCL Pune for almost 33 years. In between his tenure at NCL Pune and IISER Kolkata, he was also a Senior Professor at IIT Bombay.

Prof Sourav Pal was instrumental in setting up the Electronic Structure Theory Group at NCL. He is a distinguished theoretical chemist and has contributed to methodological and conceptual developments on many-body electronic structure theory, to the area of density based chemical reactivity, as well as to catalytic and hydrogen storage materials using computational material science. Development of the many-body electronic structure methodology and application of computational chemistry have been the continuing theme of his group at IIT Bombay and IISER Kolkata as well.

He completed a 5-year integrated Master’s degree in Chemistry from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur in 1977, and Ph.D. from Calcutta University.  Recipient of many awards and honors in recognition of his contributions to science, including the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Chemical Sciences in 2000 and SASTRA-CNR Rao Award in Chemistry & Materials Science in 2014, Prof. Pal was on the Editorial Advisory Board of the flagship Journal of Physical Chemistry and has published more than 300 papers in International peer-reviewed journals and contributed chapters to several books.  He has guided about 45 Ph.D. theses and is the author of a book titled “Mathematics in Chemistry”. Prof Pal is Fellow of all National Academies of Science and Royal Society of Chemistry among many honors. He is on several scientific committees. He is presently the founding member of the Executive Board of Commonwealth Chemistry, chairman of Chemical Division Council of Bureau of Indian Standards, among many other committees.

Commenting on his appointment, Prof. Sourav Pal said “It is a very opportune time to be part of Ashoka University and I am delighted to lead the Department of Chemistry. Over the next decade, Ashoka University has made a commitment towards expanding into sciences with emphasis on conducting cutting-edge research in domains ranging from synthetic biology, chemistry of environment, renewable energy to health research where chemistry will play an important role. I am confident that over the next few years, Ashoka will produce globally recognised scientific research that will contribute to India’s development.”

Sharing her thoughts on the appointment, Prof. Malabika Sarkar, Vice-Chancellor, Ashoka University said “We are honored to have Prof. Sourav Pal as Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry. With his guidance and leadership as an eminent Theoretical Chemist, I am certain that Ashoka will produce world-class research in sciences that will benefit the country.”

Ashoka is on a journey towards creating a leading multidisciplinary research university with a strong focus on teaching and learning. It is expanding its sciences department with a dedicated campus adjoining the current premises at Rajiv Gandhi Education City, Delhi NCR.