Sanjay Patil

Dr. Sanjay Patil is at present working as Technical Advisor & Head, Department of Alcohol Technology and Biofuels at Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI), Pune, India. He holds M. Sc. (Bio-chem.), M. Sc. (Engg.) and Ph. D. (Biotechnology) degrees from reputed universities in India.

He has worked with National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India. He has been working with Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Pune for past 34 years. He is involved in Consultancy & Extension, Research & Development and Academic activities related to first & second generation ethanol production, energy and water conservation, distillery waste water treatment systems and sugar industry by-products.

He was a member of the “Expert Committee” formulated by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for revision of standards and guidelines for distilleries in India. He was also a “Special Invitee” in the committee on Green Chemistry Initiative formed by the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India to undertake “Scoping study on molasses based distilleries in the country”. He has also worked as Chairman of the Expert Committee constituted by CPCB to prepare action plan / charter for the distilleries in Ganga basin. He is also a member of the “Standing Technical Committee” constituted by the State Excise Department of Government of Karnataka. He has also worked on various committees such as FAD 14 of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), ethanol working group of BIS, Hi Power Committee of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Expert Committee of the State Excise Department of Government of Maharashtra, Expert Committee of Distillers’ Association of Maharashtra, and State Level Machinery Purchase Committee of Govt. of Maharashtra. He is a regular participant in various activities organized by All India Distillers’ Association.

He has commissioned more than 40 molasses and grain based distilleries and effluent treatment plants. He is providing routine technical support to member distilleries of VSI as well as non-member distilleries in the country for DPR preparation, preparation of tender documents incorporating detailed technical specifications of plant and machinery, supervision of new plant erection & commissioning, preparation of distillery & effluent treatment modernization & expansion reports, valuation reports, trouble shooting of process problems in distilleries & downstream ETPs, adequacy reports for distillery ETPs, providing analytical support, improving the efficiency, productivity & alcohol quality in distilleries, and achieving Zero Spent wash/Liquid Discharge.

He has been instrumental in establishing the Department of Alcohol Technology and Biofuels at VSI and teaches Alcohol Technology and related subjects and guiding research students for post-graduate and Ph. D. research. He has organized number of short term training courses at VSI for pollution control officers sponsored by CPCB as well as for Excise Officers from different states.

He has been Principal Investigator of various research projects sponsored by the DST, DBT, Sugar Development Fund, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) etc. He has completed four projects sponsored by CPCB. He has published/presented more than 60 research papers in National/International journals and conferences. He has visited many countries including Brazil, USA, China, France, Thailand, Australia, Egypt, Switzerland, Singapore, Mauritius, Ghana, Vietnam etc.