Man Mohan Sharma
Born 1 May 1937 · Rajasthan
Appointed youngest Professor of Chemical Engineering at UDCT at age 27 and later became its Director.
🔔 Add birthday reminderMan Mohan Sharma is an Indian chemical engineer. He was educated at Jodhpur, Mumbai, and Cambridge. At age 27, he was appointed Professor of Chemical Engineering in the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai. He later went on to become the Director of UDCT, the first chemical engineering professor to do so from UDCT.
✨ A detail that surprised us
In 1990, Man Mohan Sharma became the first Indian engineer elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, UK, an honor rarely bestowed upon engineers from India.
1. In 1964, at just 27, Man Mohan Sharma was appointed Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Institute of Chemical Technology (then UDCT) in Mumbai, marking an unusually early ascent in Indian academia.
2. 🌟 By 1973, he became the youngest recipient of the prestigious S.S. Bhatnagar Prize in Engineering Sciences, spotlighting his pioneering research in chemical reaction engineering.
3. In 1990, Sharma broke ground as the first Indian engineer elected Fellow of the Royal Society, London, an elite body rarely accessible to engineers from India.
4. During his 8-year tenure as Director of UDCT, he led the institute to gain autonomy from the University Grants Commission, dramatically increasing its PhD output and research independence.
5. 🔬 His work on Bronsted catalysis in CO2 hydration and kinetics of COS absorption unveiled linear free energy relationships that influenced industrial gas absorption methods.
6. He also championed a culture of early independent publishing among doctoral students at UDCT, a practice uncommon in Indian scientific education at the time.
7. 🏅 Awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1987 and Padma Vibhushan in 2001, Sharma’s honors track his sustained scientific influence over decades.
8. ❓ How did Man Mohan Sharma’s insistence on marrying fundamental science with industrial application reshape chemical engineering education and research culture in India?
Awards & Honours
- 🏅Padma Vibhushan
🔍 One thing most people don't know
In 1973, Sharma was the youngest recipient of the S.S. Bhatnagar Prize in Engineering Sciences, an award that recognizes outstanding Indian research, underscoring his early breakthrough in chemical engineering.
🖼️ Through the Years
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📅 The Journey
🗝️ Discoveries
🎥 Speeches & Recordings
Ek Mulakat EP 194 Manmohan Sharma Engineer,Professor 12th Nov 2016 Brahma Kumaris
YouTube📖 Curated Sources
🌱 What changed because of them
Man Mohan Sharma transformed UDCT into a leading autonomous research institute by securing UGC autonomy and expanding its doctoral programs. His pioneering research in reaction engineering influenced industrial processes in India, while his leadership and mentorship cultivated a generation of chemical engineers who embraced rigorous publication and innovation. His election to international bodies raised the global profile of Indian engineering science.
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