About Us: P.K.N. Panicker

pkn panicker


Mr. P.K.N. Panicker , Bio-data
  
Born in Kerala, Kaviyoor - 1935


Father – Kattoor P. Krishna Panicker, a teacher, Malayalam Pandit,    loved by his students. 
Mother- P.N.Thankamma




  Early education
- Kaipallil Primary School, Padinjattumcherry, Kaviyoor; 
- N.S.S.High School Karuvatta;
- N.S.S.High School, Kaviyoor
- N.S.S.College, Changanassery.

- A Chemical Engineer from Banaras Hindu University – 1958.

Employment
- As research scholar and research assistant with I.I.T.Kharagpur; A.P.V.Engineering Company, Calcutta; Kusum Products Ltd, Calcutta.
-Thereafter started own company in association with friends, CHEMECH ENGINEERS Pvt. Ltd, Madras;
-Subsequently formed ESKEYAR ENGINEERING COMPANY Pvt. Ltd , Madras. 
-Lent active support in the formation of three public Limited Companies – Kerala Chlorates & Chemicals Ltd, Kerala State; Kamar Chemicals Ltd, Tamilnadu; Rose Zinc Ltd, UDAIPUR, Rajasthan and was on the Board of all three for short periods.
Achievements 
Elected President of the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, an all India Professional Society of Chemical Engineers with about 20,000 Chemical Engineers as Members; recognized all over the world among Chemical Engineers as a professional body of high eminence with its head quarters in Calcutta and with about 40 regional chapters across the country. 
 In the 60 year history of the Institute only two from Kerala had the honour of being elected as IIChE presidents – and only three or four persons have had the honour of being elected for two consecutive terms and Mr.Panicker is one among those few. 
He was first elected president in 1994 during their annual convention in Bombay and re-elected unanimously in 1995 in the Kharagpur Convention.
  
Fellow of The Indian Institue of Chemical Engineers  
- Recognised as one among the few who pioneered chemical equipment and plant design in India without leaning on foreign expertise in the early 1960s; 

- Designed and constructed several Chemical plants in India and neighboring countries.  
The plants designed constructed include those for the production of  Alcohol [ Fermentation route ], Glycerine [ bye product ] , Ethyl Acetate, Acetic Acid, Acetaldehyde, Furfurol, Borax, Boric Acid, Sulphuric Acid, Glue, Copper Sulphate, Diethyl Pthalate

-Developed indigenous capability for specially designed sophisticated chemical equipment for various operations in  chemical and food [confectionary] industries such as micro-film cookers for highly viscous heat sensitive products and rotating disk columns. These equipment developed as part of import substitution effort are working satisfactorily in many industrial units. 

-Gave practical training in project management to large number of Engineers and vocational training and employment to hundreds of youngsters during 1960-1990.

President of Chemical Industries Association [India], an All India Organisation of chemical and allied industries with a large membership covering small, medium and large chemical and allied industries in the country. 
He was elected President in 1999 and continues to hold the post. 

Academic Field: 
- Served as visiting lecturer in IIT, Chennai. 
- Examiner for undergraduate and post graduate students; 
- Was  member of the evaluation and assessment committees of the National Board of Accreditation for Engineering Colleges; 
- Was member of the advisory committee on chemistry and chemical technology of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Reasearch; 
- Served in the syllabus and curriculum committees of IIT and  Anna University and was an interview panel member of the Union Public Service Commission and CSIR.
Memberships
Member, Academic Council for Malayalam, Madras University
Member of the Board of studies, Dept.of Chemical Engineering,
Member,Sri Venketeswara Engineering College ( Deemed University ).
Member of the Board of studies, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, St.Peter’s University. 

- President of Chemical Industries Association;
  Every year he organizes several seminars on various technical topics of immediate relevance and also gives guest lecturers in Engineering Colleges. 

-He is a member of the Board of studies of the Sri Venketeswara Engineering College ( Deemed University ).

-Visiting lecturer conducted regular classes for post graduate diploma students in chemical plant design in I.I.T. Madras. 

-Also conducted special refresher courses in Distillation Equipment design for senior lecturers from academic institutions organized by I.I.T. Madras and for technicians of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd.  

-Referee for AMIE examination in Chemical Engineering and conducted viva-voce for the students – for  22 years continuosly for examinees in Tamilnadu. Also acted as examiner for AMIICHE students several times. 

-Participated in the Curriculum Development Committee for Chemical Engineering appointed by Govt of India. Took active part in bringing about Industry Institute co-operation between Anna University and Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd, resulting in a sponsored M.Tech. Programme in Petroleum and Petrochemicals in Anna University.

Member
High level Task Force for industrial development constituted by the Govt. of Tamilnadu, of which the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu is the Chairperson.

Fellowship
Fellow of The Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers.
  
Publications
- Writes in English and Malayalam; has published 10 books: 6 in Malayalam and 4 in English including a collection of poems in English, one on Swami Vivekananda and another on Environment. 

Two more books, including a collection of poems in English are under publication. 

His poems in English gets published regularly in Poets International, Poets, Poets India Web Site and other lierary journals. 
His articles in English get published regularly in various Publications like Chemical Weekly, Nandini Chemical Journal etc. His contribution in the Chemical Industry Newsletter appearing once every month in Chemical Weekly ( India) is noteworthy for its content and bold, forthright opinions.

- Tamilnadu Textbook Committee has included his essays in the Malayalam Readers for 8th and 9th standards

- Has contributed articles to many prestigious technical Publications and is a review panel member for highly acclaimed research journal Industrial Engineering Chemistry'. 
- Has written a chapter in the prestigious 50 volume “ Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing and Design” by Marcel Deckker of USA; 
- Also a chapter in the “ Treatise on Oils and Fats”. 
- Contributed a paper in  “ Dravidian Encyclopedia” on Development of Chemistry and Chemical Technology in ancient India and has contributed in “ Bharatha  Vinjanakosam” on Status of Chemical Industries in India
- He has written a number of articles in various technical journals in India and a few in foreign journals. 

A detailed list of published articles and books and those under publication are given separately.

Social and educational field 
His Association with several social organizations is well known. The most striking among them is the Madras Kerala Samaj, with which his association started in 1971. He may be termed as the man behind building up “ Kerala Vidyalayam” a prestigious Higher Secondary School run by Madras Kerala Samaj. 
Associated with the school from 1971, when it was entering the fifth year of its existence and was finding difficulty to go forward. 
Acted as its secretary/correspondent till the school attained the status of a full-fledged Government recognized, Government aided High School and thereafter to a Higher Secondary School
Held responsibility of the school for over 28 years out of 40 years since its starting and is presently correspondent of the school. 

- Also served as  Chairman of The Madras Kerala Samaj Education Society. Also served the Madras Kerala Samaj, a socio-cultural organization in several capacities and was its President for over five years

- Served various organizations like the Chennai Branch of The Indian Red Cross as an active member in their Rehabilitation Committee for the handicapped and was closely associated in organizing a regular training course in mechanical draughtsmanship for the handicapped.

- Founder member and executive committee member of the Ambattur Industrial Estate Manufacturer’s Association.

-President, Chennai Poet’s Circle
 Was President of Chennai Poet’s Circle 2008-‘09, a group interested in English Poetry. 
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P.K.N. Panicker's List of Publications

List of publications – Technical Papers:
Research: 1.   Entrainment of water droplets by air bubbles released from single nozzles , Transactions: IIChE vol.xii , 18-22 ( 1959-60) 2.   Pilot Plant studies on manufacture of Furfurol from cane bagasse – Chemical Age of India, vol.30, No.8, 733-35 (1979)
Review:
1. Glycerine Recovery – Chemical Age of India ,Part –1, vol.14, No.2, 158-60 (1963), Part –2,
     vol.14,No.3, 224-27 (1963), Part –3, vol.14,No.4, (1963)
2. Vapour Recompression System for Steam Economy in Alcohol Distillation Plants. – Presented in the
    UNESCO –SASCO Meet, New Delhi – 1963.
3. Alcohol Distillery Stillage , Utilization and Disposal -  Chemical Age of India, vol. 15, No.2, 177-81  
    (1964)
4.  Ethanol – Chemical Processing and Engineering. Part –1, History and Nomenclature, p.29-31, May 1969                 
     Part –2, Fermentation Technology, p. June 1969Part –3, Fermentaion Plant design, p. 31-36, July 1969,                
     Part –4, Distillation Technology, p. 27-32, August 1969, Part –5 , Distillation Plant Design, p.35-39,
     Sept. 1969, Part – 6, General Considerations, p.31-36, Nov. 1969. 
5.  Tubular Heat Exchangers – Chemical Processing and Engineering. Part –1, Types and General 
     Classification, p29-32, Sept. 1970,  Part –2, Data Requirements, p.43-45, Oct.1970,  Part - 3, Themal Design,  
     p.34-38, Nov.1970, Part – 4, Mechanical Design, p.33-36, Dec.1970.
6.  Design of Tray Type Distillation Columns – Chemical Industry Development, August,1974.
7.   Furfural – Chemical Age of India. Part –1, vol.25, No.11, p.793-97 ,1974, Part- 2, vol.26,No.2,
      p.101-104 ,  1975, Part –3, vol. 26, No.6, p.457-64, 1975, Part - 4, vol.26, No.11, p858-60, 1975.
8.  Case for a Simplified Heat Exchanger Standard for General Chemical Industries –Bureau of    
      Indian Standards Bulletin, vol.27, No.6, p 195-97, 1975. 
9. Borax – Chemical Age of India, Part – 1, vol.27, No.10, p.897-900, 1976,  Part - 2. vol.27, No.11, 
     p.955-57, 1976
Short Articles: Foreign Journals -  
1.    Liquid Level Control by Simple Float Device – Chemical Engineering, April,21,1969
2.    Principle of Syphon Put to Use in Certain Critical Stages – Chemical Engineering, May, 18, 1970.
3.    Quick Thinking in Emergencies – a situation using specific gravity effect – Chemical Engineering, June, 15, 1970
4.    Stripper Down-comer Sizing to Avoid Liquid Entrainment - Chemical Engineering, May, 17, 1971.
General Articles:
1.    Indigenous technical Know-how, Some Reflectios - Chemical Age  
       of India, vol.17,No.12, p.988-91, 1966
2.    Molasses a Potential Raw Material – Indian Chemical  Manufacturer, Annual 
      Number, p.35-38, 1967
3.    Sugar Factory Bye-products – Trichy Productivity Council   
        Seminar Proceedings, 1970
4.    Sugar Cane – Energy Crop of the Future – Chemical Weekly, 7th July, 1981
5.  Perspective Plan for the Development of Chemical Industry in  
        TamilNadu, Chemical Weekly, TNCMA Seminar Sppliment, 30th  
        April, 1982
6.     Industry Institute Link, A Necessary Step in Engineering Course -
        The Hindu, June 08, 1982.
7.    Methanol – A Potential Petroleum Substitute – The Hindu, August
        24, 1982
8.    Ethanol in Energy Conservation – Financial Express, Jan .05, 1983  
9.     Biotechnology – Some Areas of Relevance in the Indian Context –  
       United Writers’ Association, Madras, 09th year Anniversary
        Number, 1984
10.   Chemical Plant Industry in IndiaChemical Weekly, Jan.29, 1985 
11.   Chemical Industries-Challenges Ahead – Chemical Weekly,  Annual 1985                    12.  Case for a Petrochemical Complex in TamilNadu – Chemical  Weekly,  
      01st April 1986.
13.   Positive Roles in Interaction- Bank Finance for Sick Small Scale        Industries – The Hindu 17th Dec. 1985
14.   Towards a More Satisfying System – In School and Higher
        Secondary Education – The Hindu, 12th April 1994.
15.   Chemical Industries in Kerala – Chemical Business, May-June, 1990
16.   Chemical Industries in India – a Status Report, Souvenir,
        International Conference on Advances in Chemical Engineering,     
        IIT, Madras, Dec. 1996.
17.  Quality Assurance in Engineering Education – Industry Institute Collaboration and Role of Professional Institutes – Proceedings of the Seminar on Accreditation of Self Financing Engineering Colleges in Southern India, 1998
18.    Some Stray Thoughts from a Technological and Managerial Perspective – Chemical Industry India, Published by Saket Projects Ltd., on behalf of the Dept. of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India and FICCI – 2002.
19.    Formaldehyde – an overview – paper presented in the interactive seminar organized by Chemical Industries Association [India]during Sept.2004 and reproduced in  Nandini Chemical Journal vol 12, issue 1, Oct.2004, P. 15-20. Also reproduced in Chemical Weekly (India), January.09.2007 p211-218. 
20.    Focus on Molasses Based Products - paper presented in the interactive seminar organized by Chemical Industries Association [India]during Oct.2004 and reproduced in  Nandini Chemical Journal vol 12, issue 2, Nov.2004, P. 13-28 
In Malayalam:
1.    Manushika Moolyangalude Vikasathil Sastrathinte Panku –  Navayugam, vol.35, issue 13, p.11,12, 17, 18 Sep.28, 1985 and vol.35, issue 14, p.7,8,22 Oct. 05, 1985.
In Tamil:
1.    Thamizhakathin Thozhil Valarchikkana Choozhnilai – Dinakaran  
       Industrial Supplement – Sept. 1983.    
Technical Books:

1.   Encyclopedia on Chemical Processing and Design, Edtd by
      John .J. Mcketta - prestigious 50 volume encyclopedia – Published   
      by Marcel Dekker Inc. USA – Contributed the Chapter on Furfural
       and Other Furan Compounds, vol.24, p 40-70
2.   Treatise on Oils and Fats – a prestigious publication Edtd by
       O.P.Narula – published by Industrial Consultants, India, -a chapter on Glycerine 
       Recovery and Distillation, section L p. L/1-9. 
3.   Our Environment – a book on various aspects of our environment- could be an excellent supplementary text for students of environment science  and equally for the layman to have a comprehensive understanding of our environmental concerns.
4.    Our Earth – a book presenting geophysical and social aspects concerning our earth, intended for children of age group of 10-15.   
General Books:
1.    Dravidian Encyclopedia – Edtd by Dr.V.I. Subramaniam – contributed a chapter
       on  Development of Chemistry and Chemical Industries in Ancient India.
2.    Swami Vivekananda – looking at Swamiji’s teachings from a different perspective
       from than the usual – Published by Minerva Press
3.   Random Reflections – a collection of English Poems – appreciated
       by reputed literary critiques – Published by Minerva Press
 4.   Insight – a collection of English Poems – under publication
 5.   South India Heritage – contributed an article on ‘ Malayalam ’
(p.394-397) , a review covering the growth and development of the language. Edtd.by Prema Kasturi & Chitra Madhavan, Published by East West Publisher  (Chennai) Pvt. Ltd.  
Books in Malayalam.
 1.     Bharata Vinjana Kosam- an Encyclopedia – Edtd by Dr.P.T. Bhaskara Panicker, 
         Published by D.C.Books – contributed an article on Chemical Industries in India – 
         vol.2, p.572-78.
2.    Ethanol – a book detailing technological and engineering   aspects of ethanol production from sugar cane molasses – published by SPCS Ltd., Kottayam.
3.     Lohangalude Lokam – a popular science book giving technical details together with humourous anecdotes about origin, discovery etc. of various metals- published by SPCS Ltd., Kottayam.
   4.     Palamukhangal  - a collection of one-act plays, published by      
           SPCS Ltd., Kottayam.
5.     African Nadodikathakal – a collection of folktales from the    
African Continent, translated from English and adapted to suit the sensitivity of the Malayalam reading public – published by  Mathrubhumi Publishing House, Calicut.
 6.    Asian African Nadodikathakal  - a collection of folktales from the   
        African and Asian continents, translated from English– published
        by Insight Books, Calicut, India.
7.  American Nadodikathakal - a collection of folktales from the   
        American continents, translated from English – published
        by Rainbow Book Publishers, Chengannur.India.
8.  African Asian Nadodikathakal - a collection of folktales from the   
African and Asian Continents, translated from English – published by Widow Publishers, Chennai. 
 9.   Asian Nadodikathakal - A collection of folktales from the Asian Continent,
       translated from English – Under publication by Mathrubhumi Publishing House,
       Calicut, India.
                            10.  Swapnangal – a collection of poems – published by Olive Publications, Kozhikode

                       Short Stories in Malayalam:  
1.    Aa Randu Kannukal ( under the pen name – Narendran) Visalakeralam, May,1986, p. 7.
2.    Landi ( under the pen name – Narendran), Kairaleesudha, January,1987, p.14.
3.    Vishamavritham ( under the pen name – Rajan), Kairaleesudha, February,1987, p.19
 Important Talks Delivered:
1.    Presidential Address in the Annual Conference of The Indian 
     Institute of Chemical Engineers at The Indian Institute of Technology,  Kharagpur, 
     Dec.1994.
2.    Presidential Address in the Annual Conference of The Indian 
     Institute of Chemical Engineers at The Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research,Kalpakkam, Chennai, Dec. 1995.
3.    Professor H. E. Hoelscher Memorial Lecture, A.C.College of
       Technology, Anna University, Chennai, April. 1994.
4.    Presidential Address in the National Seminar on Manpower   
       Development at Technician Level in Chemical Engineering and   
       Chemical Technology in West Bengal organized by the West   
       Bengal Plan Implementation Unit, World Bank Project Co-
       ordination Group and The Department of Technical Education and
       Training , Govt. of West Bengal, Feb.1995.    
5.         Inaugural Address, Seminar on Technology Development and  
       Intellectual Property Rights vis-à-vis Dunkel Text at The Jadavpur    
       University Campus, Calcutta, June. 1994
6.     Inaugural address in the Workshop on Design, Fabrication and  
         Testing of Process Plant Equipment organized by Technology
         Advance Centre , Madras, Oct.1993
7.     Special Address in The National Conference on Membrane   
         Science  and Technology – Perspectives and Prospects, at The
         Jadavpur University Campus, Calcutta,  Feb.1994
8.     Presidential Address in the Business Opportunity Meet, organized    
       by the Department of Atomic Energy and the Confederation of
       Indian Industries at Madras on 23.08.1995.
9.      Trends in Bio-technology – Keynote address in the Seminar on    
       Trends in Biotechnology Research, organized by 
       Dr.M.G.R.Educational and Research Institute ( deemed University)
       on 19.10.2006.  

Talks on All India Radio [ Malayalam]:
1.   Sastramum Samathanamum – on 10.11.2002
2.  Manushyanum Paristhithiyum – on 01.04.2001
3.   Plastikum Paristhithidooshanamum –02.06.2002
  4.   Sasthra Nettam –07.01.2001
5.   Sastramum Samathanamum – on  26.11.2006
 Talks on other occasions:
   1.  Haritha Prathyaya Sastram – (Green Theory , Ideology and  
        perceptio) Keynote address delivered in the Seminar organized by    
        University of Madras on 31st January 2007. [ Malayalam]
 2.   Evolution of Harikatha Trough Ages in Kerala – A Temple Art   
       Form Repositioned As a Vibrant Communication Medium – 
       Seminar organized by The Kala Mandir Trust, Chennai, 26.08.1993.
3.   Kumaran Asan – 72nd Lecture under The South India Heritage
                                 Lecture Series , 27.04.2008.


Contact Details:                     
Address  - Rajdeep
No.21[old] 35 [new] , Sir. P.S. Sivaswamy Salai
Mylapore, Chennai - 600004,  INDIA.     
Phone     - 091 – 44 – 24991048 ;  
                44 – 9382740755
Fax         - 091 – 44 – 24991447   
E-mail:    pknpanicker@gmail.com
                            

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