Prof. Mihir Kumar Purkait

Professor

Key Research Areas :Membrane technology; Effluent treatment and waste management; Advanced separation processes; Catalysis; Nanoparticles and nano-composites; Bio-diesel; Bio-products, vegetable and fruit juice processing; CO2 to products and liquid fuels.

  • Phone No: +91 361 258 2262/+91 99542 48807
  • Email: mihir@iitg.ac.in
  • Room No: 105
Personal Webpage Download CV

Dr. Mihir Kumar Purkait is a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG). Presently he is holding Professor Chair of National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM), Min. of Jal Shakti (Govt. of India)He is energetically involved in frontier areas of Chemical Engineering with his major research interest in the field of advanced separation processes and material science.

Prof. Purkait has a portfolio of multifarious innovations and inventions in both fundamental and applied research. He has made an outstanding contribution to develop the fundamental concept and mechanism of smart and intelligent responsive materials (thermo-responsive, pH-responsive, dual / multi stimuli-responsive, and piezoelectric) for a wide range of separation applications. He has the credit for commercializing various technologies for up and downstream operation of water purification, many water treatment technologies for contaminated drinking water and industrial wastewater, bio-separation, value-added product separation from plant and agricultural resources, and electrochemical reduction of COto several liquid fuels. His major research areas and output in terms of the number of publications are shown below.

Prof. Purkait has done outstanding contribution in translational and applied research on two major sustainable development goals, SDGs (SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 9: Industry and Innovation; SDG 12: Production). Quality and quantity of his research is reflected in terms of large number of publications, patents, technology transfer, start-ups, projects, consultancies and involvement with various national and international scientific committees. His work has remarkable relevance in societal as well as industrial sectors.

He has more than 23 years of experience in research & academics. With his research team he has published more than 300 high quality International journal papers with h-index of 71 (citation > 16,000), 14 granted patents and made 3 technology transfer. He has authored 18 books, completed 42 sponsored projects/consultancies funded by various Govt agencies and industries. Prof. Purkait has supervised 24 PhD students and >40 M Tech students on fundamental and applied research.

For his scientific and societal contribution, he has been awarded several national level prestigious award from INAE, NASI, INSA, DST etc. He has worked as visiting professor of 3 foreign universities and involved in various international scientific/funding organizations as ECC/PAC expert member like European Science Foundation (ESF, France), Fund for Scientific Research; FWO Flanders, Brussel (Belgium) etc.

Prof. Purkait is also actively involved in different capacity like ECC / EC / PAC / selection committee member / advisor / consultant etc in various Govt (state & central) bodies including DST, SERB, DBT, AICTE, IITs, NITs, Universities, Waste to Wealth (W2W) mission and National Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) of Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Govt of India and public sector companies.


Dr. Mihir Kumar Purkait 
Dean of Alumni and External Relations
Chair Professor, National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM), Min. of Jal Shakti (Govt. of India)
Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Guwahati - 781039, Assam, India
E. Mail: mihir@iitg.ac.in ,  mihirpurkait@gmail.com
Phone: +91-361-2582262(O),  +91 - 9954248807 (Mobile)

Homepage: https://www.iitg.ac.in/chemeng/faculty_profile.php?name=mkp
Google Scholar Citation:  https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=9Z4kD-sAAAAJ&hl=en

Research Projects

Sponsored

Title : Incorporation of advanced technology for the removal of Fluoride from the existing pipe water supply scheme (PWSS) (Capacity: 1 lakh LPD) at Sakhati, Boko in Kamrup District of Assam
Duration : 2023-2024
Funding agency : PHED, JJM Govt of Assam
Budget : 53.35
PI : Prof. Mihir Kumar Purkait


Title : Retrofitting of abundant pipe water supply scheme (PWSS) (Capacity: 80,000 LPD) at Rajapara 2 in Kamrup District of Assam.
Duration : 2023-2024
Funding agency : PHED, JJM Govt of Assam
Budget : 53.35
PI : Prof. Mihir Kumar Purkait


Title : Development and demonstration of 15 m3 per hour treatment capacity Fluoride removal plant at Nizbogai in Kamrup District of Assam.
Duration : 2023-2024
Funding agency : PHED, JJM Govt of Assam
Budget : 53.35
PI : Prof. Mihir Kumar Purkait


Title : Centre for sustainable water treatment technologies
Duration : 2022-2027
Funding agency : Ministry of Jal Shakti
Budget : 684
PI : Prof. Mihir Kumar Purkait


Title : Development of Treatment Plant to Purify Polluted Waste Water in the Coal Mining Area of Khliehriat, Meghalaya
Duration : 2021-2023
Funding agency : Govt of Meghalaya
Budget : 26.4
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Preparation of DPR for treatment of polluted Kamalpur Water Body (Kamalpur Beel) under Kamrup Zilla Parishad.
Duration : 2021-2022
Funding agency : Panchayat & Rural Dev, Govt of Assam.
Budget : 4.41
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Preparation of DPR for the treatment of Pagladia River under Nalbari Zilla Parishad, Assam
Duration : 2021-2022
Funding agency : Panchayat & Rural Dev, Govt of Assam.
Budget : 5.75
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Preparation of DPR for the treatment of Kharsang River under Tinsukia Zilla Parishad, Assam
Duration : 2021-2022
Funding agency : Panchayat & Rural Dev, Govt of Assam.
Budget : 5.25
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Preparation of DPR for the treatment of Panchnoi River under DRDA, Udalguri, Assam.
Duration : 2021-2022
Funding agency : Panchayat & Rural Dev, Govt of Assam.
Budget : 4.0
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Prototype development for catechins extraction and production of low cost antioxidant tablets and capsules
Duration : 2020-2023
Funding agency : Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE)
Budget : 57
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Development of functionalized Carbon nanomaterial composite for removal of pharmaceutical waste
Duration : 2020-2022
Funding agency : MHRD
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Dr, D Deka


Title : Development of Solar power driven water treatment plant
Duration : 2020-2022
Funding agency : State Innovation & Transformation Aayou (SITA), Govt of Assam
Budget : 42.1
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Centre of Technological Excellent in water purification
Duration : 2019-2023
Funding agency : DST
PI : Prof. S De (IIT KGP)
Co-PI : Prof M K Purkait (PI from IITG)


Title : Functionalized membranes for efficient wastewater treatment and food processing
Duration : 2019-2021
Funding agency : Styrelsen for Forskning og Uddannelse, Denmark
PI : Prof. B. R. Sudireddy (Denmarks Tekniske Universitet, Denmark)
Co-PI : Prof. M K Purkait (PI from IITG)


Title : Development of catalysts and a prototype device for conversion of CO2 to fuels/chemicals
Duration : 2019-
Funding agency : DST
PI : Prof A Sarkar (IITB)
Co-PI : Prof M K Purkait


Title : Development of House Hold Prototype for the Treatment of Arsenic Contaminated Drinking Water
Duration : 2018-2020
Funding agency : MHRD
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : CO2-Selective Ceramic Membrane for Separation of CO2 from Flue Gas and Natural Gas’
Duration : 2016-2019
Funding agency : DST
PI : Prof. B P Mandal
Co-PI : Prof M K Purkait


Title : Treatment of contaminated drinking water using a hybrid low-cost process
Duration : 2015-2018
Funding agency : INNO INDIGO (DBT)
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Ju, IIT (ISM), University of Porto (Portugal), University of Munich (Germany)


Title : Development of portable water purification system for pathogen and other contaminants free drinking water
Duration : 2015-2016
Funding agency : DRDO
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Poly-N-vinylamides Derivatized Fouling-Resistant Membranes for Industrial Application
Duration : 2012-2015
Funding agency : CSIR
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Modification of polymeric membrane by blending polymeric nanoparticle
Duration : 2012-2015
Funding agency : INSA
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Utilization and synthesis of fly ash based bi-functional catalyst in bio-diesel production.
Duration : 2012-2015
Funding agency : DST
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Treatment of contaminated drinking water using electrocoagulation technique
Duration : 2010-2013
Funding agency : DRDO
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Optimization of mass transfer enhanced electroless plating process parameters for dense metal composite membrane fabrication
Duration : 2008-2011
Funding agency : CSIR
PI : Prof. R. Uppaluri
Co-PI : Prof M K Purkait


Title : Development of membrane based technology for the separation of coal from organic solvent
Duration : 2008-2009
Funding agency : TATA STEEL LTD JAMSHEDPUR
PI : Prof. M.K. Purkait
Co-PI : Prof C Das


Title : Synthesis of a candidate surfactant for the membrane based separation of heavy metals
Duration : 2007-2010
Funding agency : CSIR
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Development of indigenous technology for fluoride free drinking water
Duration : 2006-2009
Funding agency : DRDO
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Improvement of existing Iron Removal Unit developed by DRL, Tezpur
Duration : 2006-2008
Funding agency : DRDO
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Enhancement of Synthesis of Lipids from Microalgae (Microalgal Oil) for Biodiesel Production: Optimization Using Mechanistic Approach
Duration : 2006-2008
Funding agency : DRDO
PI : Prof. V.S. Moholkar
Co-PI : Prof M K Purkait


Title : Development of light weight Iron Removal Unit based on the principle developed by Defence Research Laboratory, Tezpur
Duration : 2006-2007
Funding agency : DRDO
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Consultancy

Title : Membrane based technology for the purification and concentration of value-added pharmaceutical products from plant and agricultural resources/waste
Duration : 2022-2023
Funding agency : TATA STEEL Tata Steel Advanced Materials Research Centre (TSAMRC)
Budget : 34
PI : Prof. Mihir Kumar Purkait


Title : Systematic and real-time monitoring of quality and quantity of surface water using geospatial technology
Duration : 2021-2022
Funding agency : Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA, Canara Bank), Bangalore
Budget : 50
Co-PI : Prof. Mihir Kumar Purkait


Title : Polluted River Stretches-Preparation of Action Plan for North Eastern States
Duration : 2019-2019
Funding agency : CPCB, New Delhi
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Ceramic Filter Candle for water treatment
Duration : 2019-2019
Funding agency : Hamilton Housewares Pvt Limited, Mumbai
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Dr, D Deka Barman


Title : Treatment of highly saline effluent by using surface active agent
Duration : 2018-2020
Funding agency : TATA STEEL LTD JAMSHEDPUR
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Electrocoagulation Techniques for the Treatment of Rejected Stream of Nanofiltration
Duration : 2018-2019
Funding agency : TATA STEEL LTD, JAMSHEDPUR
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Study of presence of surface active agents in the inlet stream of Sureka Projects for Drinking water plant and Remedial action thereon
Duration : 2018-2018
Funding agency : Sureka Projects Pvt Limited Guwahati
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Installation of Iron Arsenic and Fluoride removal unit in the Yurebam,substation, Imphal
Duration : 2018-
Funding agency : Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Characterization of water samples for drinking purpose.
Duration : 2017-2017
Funding agency : Power Grid corporation of India
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Installation of water treatment plant in the campus POWERGRID
Duration : 2017-
Funding agency : Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil


Title : Implementation of suitable water treatment plant at Balipara Substation (Sonitpur), Assam, Power Grid Corporation of India
Duration : 2016-
Funding agency : Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd
PI : Prof. M K Purkait
Co-PI : Nil