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About Us
Dr Binoy K Saikia is Principal Scientist & Head of Coal & Energy Division at CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat, Assam, India. He belongs to Golaghat, Assam and completed his schooling from Don Bosco School, Sarupathar in 1993. He received his MSc (Chemistry) and PhD (Chemistry) in 2001 and 2008, respectively. He is among top 2% Energy scientists (as recognized by Stanford) and among the top 100 Asian scientists in 2021. Dr Saikia has received “Assam Saurabh”, the second highest civilian award from the state of Assam. He is fellow member of Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Geological Society of India (FGS), and the Mining Geological and Metallurgical Institute of India (MGMI). In addition to a number of awards from professional societies, Dr Binoy was the 2021 the recipient of “Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize”, the highest Indian science award, for outstanding contributions in the field of science and technology. Dr Saikia’s contributions are primarily on alternative utilization of Indian low-grade coal resources for their value addition leading to the economic benefit of the country in addition to research on carbon chemistry, atmospheric chemistry, and energy & environmental chemistry. He has more than 145 peer-reviewed research publications and five patents, including an Indian and US patent for the production of blue-fluorescent carbon quantum dots from Indian coal. He is also associated with many science journals as a reviewer and special-issue editor and serves as the Editor of International Journal of Coal Science & Technology and as a Guest Editor of International Journal Oil, Gas and Coal Technology. His path-breaking interdisciplinary R&D on bulk production of CQDs from coal provides an alternative and new avenue for the economic aspect of sustainable utilization of abundant coal feedstock.
| Personal details | DR. BINOY K SAIKIA Principal Scientist &Head of the Division Coal & Energy Division CSIR-North East Institute of Science & Technology; Jorhat-785006 Assam, India E-mail: bksaikia@gmail.com; bksaikia@neist.res.in Phone: +91-9435058087; 0376 2372581 Fax Numbers: +91-376237011 |
| Research areas of interest | • Large-scale synthesis of carbon nanomaterials • Energy & Environment • Value addition to low-grade coal • Carbonaceous aerosol chemistry • Biomass valorization • Waste to wealth • Process Chemistry |
| Research papers published | >145 Nos. (Highest IF: 27.6) (Citations: >3700; h-index: 37) |
| Conference papers presented | 50 Nos. |
| Patents | 5 Nos. (2-US and 3-Indian) |
| Research R&D project handled | 06 Nos. (as PI); 02 Nos. (as Co-PI); 05 (as Co-I) |
| Ongoing R&D Projects | 05 Nos. (Ongoing as PI) |
| External R&D funding obtained | >INR 15.50 Crore (till 2022) |
| Technology developed & transferred | 02 Nos. |
| Title of technology | 1. Process for production of blue-fluorescent carbon quantum dots from Indian coal 2. Development of indigenous supercapacitor from north eastern coal and hybrid battery management system with supercapacitor and Li-ion battery |
| Name of the company | SigmaAldrich, USA |
| Time of transfer & fee | 2017 |
| Title of technology | Development of coal-based supercapacitor and hybridized battery with Li-ion battery for using in e-rickshaw |
| Name of the company | Anvaya Innovations, Jorhat |
| Time of transfer & fee | 2023 |
| National and international collaborations made | CSIR-CIMAP, IIT(ISM), IITK, IITB, USTM, Tezpur University, Gauhati University, Kaziranga University, University of Kentucky, North West University, Universidad de la Costa, Centro Universitário La Salle, Universite Grenoble Alpes-CNRS, NanoEarth-Virginia Institute of Technology, University of Zagreb, Shandong University of Science and Technology. |
| Educational qualifications |
• Doctor of Philosophy, Chemistry, 2008, CSIR-North East Institute of Science & Technology, Jorhat,
Thesis title: “Some aspects of structural investigation of Assam coal” (Under Dibrugarh
University) • Master of Science, Inorganic Chemistry, 2001, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India • Bachelor of Science, Chemistry, 1998, Debraj Roy College, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, Assam, India, Seventh Rank in the University. |
| Professional Experiences |
Junior Research Fellow (Project) in CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat (2002-2005) Scientific Assistant, Department of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur Central University, India (2005-2009) Quality Control Officer, Haldia Refinery, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Haldia, India (2009-2011) Scientist, Coal & Energy Group, CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat , Assam(2011-2016) Sr. Scientist, Coal & Energy Group, CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, Assam (2016-2019) Principal Scientist, Coal & Energy Division, CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, Assam (2019-) Head of Division, Coal & Energy Division, CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, Assam (2015-) |
| Research Guideship for Ph D |
• Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR) • Gauhati University • Dibrugarh University • Nagaland University • University of Science and Technology,Meghalaya |
| Students guided/supervised |
• Ph D: 05(awarded); 08 (ongoing) • M Sc/B Tech/MS/BS/M Tech (dissertation):34 • Undergraduate/B Sc: 15 |
| Awards received |
o Assam Saurabh (second highest civilian award of Govt. of Assam) from the Honorable Governor in
2023 for significant contributions in generating interest in science education and research in
Assam. o Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize-2021 in Science & Technology given by CSIR, Govt. of India for the outstanding contributions to indigenous technology development for carbon quantum dots. o Included among the top 2% most Influential scientists worldwide in the category of Energy for the year 2020-2022 (based on the Scopus publications impact) made by Stanford University. o Included among top 100 Asian Scientists in 2022 by Asian Scientist Magazine, Singapore. o Achievers Award-2022 on “Science & Innovation” from Mr. Om Birla ji, the Honorable Speaker, Lok Sabha. o Included in the list of 100 notable Indian scientists by "Tell Me Why" book series published by Malayala Manorama Group publications, July issue, 2022. o Prof. (Dr.) MP Singh memorial coal science award-2019 from The Mining, Geological & Metallurgical Institute of India (MGMI) for outstanding contribution to coal science and technology. o Dr R P Bhatnagar Award (2015-16) from The Mining, Geological & Metallurgical Institute of India (MGMI) for outstanding contribution to mineral beneficiation. o IIME Coal & Mineral Beneficiation Award (Academic/Industry) 2015 by Indian Institute of Mineral Engineers. o “TAMOTIA Award-2016” for the best paper published in the category of “Mineral processing and environmental issues” from IIME (National Award). (Rs. 1000/-) o MESA Award -2014 by Mineral Engineering Science Association of India (MESA). o Best paper award in the category of “Award for Honorable Mention Technical Paper” in International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, University of Pittsburgh, USA, 2015. o Young Scientist Award from International Union for Crystallography to attend International Conference on Neutron and X-ray Scattering 2009 (ICNX 2009) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. o Recognized and outstanding reviewer of several reputed SCI Journals of Elsevier, Springer, ACS, RSC, Wiley etc. o Selected for Assam Education Service (AES) by Assam Public Service Commission, Guwahati (2010). |
| Fellowships and memberships |
• Associate member of Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (IIChE) • Fellow of Geological Society of India (FGS) • Member of Mining Geological and Metallurgical Institute of India (MGMI) • Fellow of Institution of Chemist (India), 2011, Institution of Chemist, Dr. Biresh Gohel Road, Kolkota, India. • Qualified in National Eligibility Testfor Lectureship Examination (Chemical Sciences) organized by CSIR-UGC in 2003 and 2004 • Affiliate Member of Institution of Chemical Engineers (UK). • Active Member of International Centre for Diffraction Data (ICDD), USA. • Life member of Indian Institute of Mineral Engineers. • Life member of Materials Research Society of India. • Life member of Indian Crystallographic Association, India. • Life Member of Assam Science Society, India. • Member of International X-ray Absorption Society, Italy. • Member of Indian Science Congress Association. |
| Editors of Journals |
• Guest Editor(SI on clean coal research)of International Journal Oil, Gas and Coal Technology,
Inderscience publisher (SCI IF: 0.683). • Editor of International Journal of Coal Science & Technology (Springer). (SJR: 2.067) • Guest edited a special issue on “Indian Coal” inInternational Journal of Coal Science & Technology (Springer) (Highest number of download of the issue/articles: 19k) |
| Reviewers | • Recognizedand outstanding regular reviewerof reputed and SCI Journals likeChemical Engineering Journal, Energy and Fuel, Fuel, Environmental Science & Technology, Fuel Processing Technology, Powder Technology, Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, STOTEN, Chemosphere, JCLP, Journal of Cleaner Production etc. |
| Appreciations received |
• Certificate of appreciation by Springer and Elsevier for outstanding Reviewer of their
publications in several years. • Certificate of appreciation by American Chemical Society (ACS) for the contribution to the American Chemical Society journals, USA during 2011-12. • Certificate of appreciation by Academic Journals, Nigeria for the contribution and services during 2010-12. • Selected for inclusion in the Marquis Who's Who in the World-2009-2012, USA. |
| Invited Guest/Invited Talk/Invited Expert/Radio Talk |
• Delivered more than 30 invited talk and speech among School, College and University students. • Act as Resource Person in National Science Day-2021 organized by Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bangalore and Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST) on 27 February 2020 and addressed more than 700 students online. • Delivered a talk on “Enabling the use of coal and other waste materials as the precursors for value-added products” in NEIST Science Forum on 5 July 2019. • Delivered a Talk at Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT-Madras on “Value addition of low-grade coal and process chemistry” on 19 September 2019. • Act as Resource Person in National Children Science Congress (Jorhat district) in the area of Energy during 2016. • Invited talk on “Coal-derived Nano-structured Materials: A new avenue” at Kaziranga University, Jorhat on 02/06/2016 • Act as a Faculty (Chemistry) in the The Salters’ Chemistry Camps India by Royal Society of Chemistry held at CSIR-NEIST during 11-13 July, 2016. • Invited talk on“Clean Coal Technology Initiatives at CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat”, In: Continuing Education Programme (CEP) at DRL, Tezpur on 12 November 2014. • Participated as Expert in “Scientist Face to face to school children”at National Children Science Congress-2014, Doomdooma Girls High School, Assam. • Participated as Expert in “Scientist Face to face to School children”at Science motivational program 26-31 May 2014, CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat, Assam • Participated as Expert to evaluate the science projects (Senior & Junior) submitted to Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV)-Regional level Science Congress under ‘National Children Science Congress’ (NCSC-2012) held at KV-Cinnamora, Jorhat on 05/11/2012 • Participated as Expert to evaluate the science projects (Senior & Junior) submitted ‘National Children Science Congress’ (NCSC-2015) of Jorhat district held at Kakodonga, Jorhat. • Radio talk on “coal and environment issues” in All India Radio, Jorhat. |
| Administrative Positions/Training/R&D Management |
• Head and Research Group Leader of Coal & EnergyDivision, CSIR-NEIST-Jorhat • Research Group Leader of Coal & Energy group, CSIR-NEIST-Jorhat • Member of Patent committee, CSIR-NEIST-Jorhat (2012-2015) • Member of Purchase Technical sub-committee. • Quality Manager of ISO/IEC 17025: 2017. • ISO Internal Auditor of CSIR-NEIST-Jorhat. • Secretary, NEIST Fare well committee (2015). • Reporting officer of Gr- III, II, and I staff of Coal Chemistry Division. • Secretary, NEIST Bihu Celebration committee (2013) • Assistant Secretary, Staff Club, CSIR-NEIST-Jorhat (2014-15) • Secretary, Staff Club, CSIR-NEIST-Jorhat (2017-18) • On-Job training on “Analytical techniques” in R&D Center of IOCL, Faridabad (2010). |
| Patents filed/granted |
1. A process for the preparation of Blu-flourescence emitting Carbon Dots (CDTs) from sub-bituminous
Tertiary high Sulfur Coals. (Indian Application No. 201711007354; and US application No.
US10655061B2, granted); Inventors: Binoy K Saikia, Tonkeswar Das, Sonali Roy, Bardwi Narzary, Hari
Prasana Deka Boruah, Manabjyoti Bordoloi, Junmoni Lahkar, Dipanker Neog, Danaboynia Ramaiah. 2. Process for production of activated carbon from subbituminous Tertiary high sulfur Indian coals by ultrasonic-assisted chemical activation, (Indian patent application No. 202011046539) : Inventors: Binoy K Saikia, Tonkeswar Das, Prasenjit Saikia, Dipankar Neog, Mousumi Bora, Santhi Maria Benoy 3. Fabrication of blue-fluorescent and non-toxic nanodiamonds (NDs) from atmospheric particulate matters, (Indian patent application No. 202011051976 and US application No. 17/204467). |
| Totals number of papers published (in refereed journals) |
110 Nos Total IF: 487.057 Average IF: 4.8223 Highest IF: 13.273 |
