Godrej Industries Group (GIG) has announced that it will be hosting the Second Edition of the National Chemistry Day Summit on August 8, 2025 on the theme "Driving Innovation and Growth in India’s Chemical Industry". 

A joint initiative by GIG companies - Godrej Industries (Chemicals) and Astec LifeSciences, the summit serves as a platform to bring together industry experts and academia to deep dive into innovative trends and technologies that are redefining the landscape of modern chemistry and explore how the Indian chemical industry can leverage them. 

August 2, the birth anniversary of Sir Prafulla Chandra Ray – a renowned Indian chemist, historian, industrialist, and philanthropist – is celebrated as National Chemistry Day. Often hailed as the Father of Indian Chemistry, he laid the foundation for the first modern Indian research school in chemistry. To honour his legacy and commemorate the day, GIG initiated the Annual National Chemistry Day Summit in 2024. 

Themed “Driving Innovation and Growth in India’s Chemical Industry,” this year’s summit will feature three keynote addresses by Padma Vibhushan Prof. M. M. Sharma; Dr. Naushad Forbes, Co-Chairperson, Forbes Marshall; and Amit Gandhi, MD & Senior Partner, Chemicals Practice, BCG India. It will also feature two panel discussions focusing on how the Indian chemical industry can build global competitiveness and harness R&D as a catalyst for industry growth. 

Vishal Sharma, ED & CEO, Godrej Industries (Chemicals) who would be moderating a panel discussion titled Building Competitiveness in India’s Chemical Industry said, “With India emerging as a viable alternative hub for manufacturing, driven by increase in global demand for speciality chemicals and green chemistries, the Indian chemical industry is uniquely positioned on the world stage. Our country’s strong talent pool, conducive policy environment and cost competitiveness make it an ideal strategic partner for global value chains. I look forward to moderating the panel where we will discuss how we tap our unique strengths and establish India as a leading force in global chemical manufacturing.”  

The panel will witness participation from Amlan Das, Country Manager & MD & Head, Syensqo India; Nitin Sharma, CEO & General Manager, Clariant IGL Specialty Chemicals Pvt. Ltd.; Dr Alok Sharma, Director (R&D) & Board Member, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.; and S. Sunil Kumar, President, Henkel – India. 

Burjis Godrej, Executive Director, Godrej Agrovet Ltd. & Managing Director, Astec LifeSciences Ltd. would be moderating a panel discussion titled R&D – A Catalyst for India's Chemical Industry Growth.  

“Today, we are witnessing a rise in customer demand for tailored solutions alongside push for greener, safer, and more sustainable processes. This shift towards knowledge-based innovation in the chemical sector requires sharper focus on R&D investment and a recalibration of how we, as an industry, can better provide end-to-end services to our clients and global innovators. I am excited to hear from a diverse panel of experts on how R&D can catalyze the next phase of growth for our country’s chemical sector.”  

Simon-Thorsten Wiebusch, Chairman, MD & CEO, Bayer CropScience Limited; Vivek Save, Executive Director & Board Member, Deccan Fine Chemicals; Santosh J. Gharpure, Dean (Faculty Affairs) and Professor, Department of Chemistry IIT Bombay; and Aashish Kasad, Senior Partner, Ernst & Young; and Janak Nabar, CEO, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Economic Research (CTIER) will be part of the panel. 

The event will also witness the launch of the inaugural edition of the CTIER Innovation Report, Industry in India: Followers or Leaders? The report seeks to provide an understanding of where top Indian R&D firms stand relative to their global peers across a number of parameters.  

The report offers valuable insights for industry leaders considering areas where Indian industry can lead and become more competitive through an increased focus on R&D, digital adoption across the value chain and nurturing multidisciplinary R&D teams. 

By fostering dialogue between academia, industry leaders, and policymakers, the National Chemistry Day Summit serves as a platform that can help encourage cross-pollination of ideas and provide fresh impetus to the sector. The Summit reaffirms Godrej Industries Group’s commitment to advancing the industry’s global competitiveness and sustainability agenda through cross-sector collaboration and spotlighting innovation-led growth.