Man Mohan Sharma

Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox scientist Man Mohan Sharma (born 1 May 1937) is an Indian chemical engineer.<ref name="ICT_profile">Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name=Bio>Template:Cite web</ref> He later went on to become the Director of UDCT, the first chemical engineering professor to do so from UDCT.

In 1990, he became the first Indian engineer to be elected as a Fellow of Royal Society, UK. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan (1987) and the Padma Vibhushan (2001) by the President of India.<ref name="Padma Awards">Template:Cite web</ref> he has also been awarded the Leverhulme Medal of the Royal Society, the S.S. Bhatnagar Prize in Engineering Sciences (1973), FICCI Award (1981), the Vishwakarma medal of the Indian National Science Academy (1985), G.M. Modi Award (1991), Meghnad Saha Medal (1994), and an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (2001).<ref name = Bio/>

Education

Sharma obtained Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (1958) from UDCT and subsequently MSc (Tech) in 1960. He obtained PhD (Chemical Engineering) (1964) at Cambridge University with Peter Danckwerts. In 1964, he returned to India as Professor at the University of Bombay, and later became Director of the University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT) (now the Institute of Chemical Technology).<ref name="BT_samant">Template:Cite journal</ref> He served as Professor for 33 years at UDCT, along with 8 years as Director of this institute.<ref name="ICT_profile"/>

Academic career

Sharma made contributions to chemical engineering science and technology. His studies on Bronsted based catalysis in CO₂ hydration (published in the Transactions of Faraday Society) and subsequently kinetics of COS absorption in aqueous amines and alkanolamines brought out linear free energy relationship between CO₂ and COS absorption in solutions of amines and alkanolamines. He has contributed extensively on the role of microphases in multiple reactions which he pioneered. He also became an independent Editor of Chemical Engineering Science at a young age. He taught different subjects in chemical engineering and encouraged his doctoral students, from the very beginning, to publish independently their work in renowned journals.

Under his stewardship, UDCT was granted autonomy by the UGC and the Institute increased the number of PhD graduates.<ref name="ICT_profile"/>

Biography

In June 2025, a biographical book titled Divine Scientist<ref name=":2">Title: Divine Scientist, Author: Aneeta Patil, Publisher: Sundaram Digital Publication House, June 2025 ISBN 9789349989238</ref> was published, chronicling the life and contributions of Professor Man Mohan Sharma.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The book, authored by Anita Patil and published by Sundaram Digital Publication House, highlights Prof. Sharma's academic journey, pioneering research in chemical engineering, and his role in shaping scientific education in India.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The biography was launched at the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, where he served as Director for many years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":2" />

The book has also been translated into Marathi by Soniya Khare, expanding its accessibility to regional readers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Awards

Sharma is a recipient of a number of prestigious academic honours and awards including the 1977 Moulton Medal of the Institution of Chemical Engineers,<ref name="Moulton">Template:Cite web</ref> and is himself commemorated in the M M Sharma Medal awarded by the same institution for outstanding research contributions.<ref name="Medal">Template:Cite web</ref>

He won the Leverhulme Medal of the Royal Society "for his work on the dynamics of multi-phase chemical reactions in industrial processes". He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan (in 2001), and Padma Bhushan (in 1987) by the President of India.<ref name="INSA"/> He was INSA President (1989–90).<ref name="INSA">Template:Cite web</ref> He is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, Honorary Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad, Fellow of the Royal Society, London. Subsequently, he was elected Honorary Fellow by the Royal Academy of Engineering<ref name="List of Fellows">Template:Cite web</ref> and is Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Engineering.

He has been honoured by several universities including IITs by honorary doctorates.Template:Cn

In 2025, Sharma's biography written by Anita Patil, titled The Divine Scientist, was released in English and Marathi (Gurunam Guruhu).<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> During this book launch ceremony, his former student Mukesh Ambani announced an unrestricted gift of ₹151 crore (equivalent to US$16.7 million) to the Institute of Chemical Technology to honor Sharma.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Further reading

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• Template:Cite book ((transliteration: Gurūṇāṃ Guru) गुरूणां गुरु In Marathi)

External links

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