Prof. Bhalchandra Mahadeo Bhanage is an eminent chemist, academic leader, and researcher in the field of catalysis and green chemistry. He is currently the Vice-Chancellor of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU), Vadodara.
He obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Pune and National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, and pursued postdoctoral research in Japan at Tohoku University and Hokkaido University.
Prof. Bhanage has made pioneering contributions in homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, green synthesis, CO₂ utilization, organometallic chemistry, and ionic liquids. He has published over 490 research papers, authored books and book chapters, and holds more than 30 patents. His research has received over 28,000 citations with an h-index above 70.
He has guided more than 55 Ph.D. students and has been consistently ranked among the top 2% scientists globally (Stanford University analysis). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC, UK), the Indian Chemical Society, and the Maharashtra Academy of Sciences.
At the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, he served as Professor of Chemistry, Head of Department, and Dean of Infrastructure and Campus Development, before taking charge as Vice-Chancellor of MSU Baroda.
Prof. Bhanage continues to actively contribute to research, academic leadership, and science outreach, while promoting sustainable and innovative approaches in chemistry.

Prof. C. N. Murthy is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai where he obtained his M. Sc (Chemistry), M. Tech. (Materials Science) & Ph.D degrees. He has about three years’ industrial experience with M/s Johnson & Johnson and 30 years of teaching & research experience at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. He is a fellow of the Gujarat Science Academy and has worked on a number of research projects funded by national funding agencies like BRNS, DST, CSIR, DRDO, UGC and UGC-DAE apart from funding and collaborations from private industry and holds three patents. He was a Brain Pool Fellow (2015-2016) at Gwangju Institute of Science & Technology (GIST), South Korea and was a visiting professor at Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm. He was the Head of the Applied Chemistry Department (2004-2010) and Dean at Faculty of Technology & Engineering, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.