Scientist
All of Dr. Prasada Rao’s career was in industrial R&D organizations such as the Indian Institute of Petroleum and research centers of Fertilizer Corporation of India and Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited. During this time, he has successfully developed and commercialized a large number of petroleum refining and petrochemical processes. A full list is provided in the table below. Such concerted focus on development of commercial processes has played a critical role in the growth of India’s chemical and petrochemical industry. Further, it has enabled Indian R&D organizations to develop critical competencies in the area of technology development, scale-up, and commercialization. Several of these commercialized technologies have received national and international recognition.
| Technology | Year | Commercialization |
1. | Process and catalyst for xylene isomerization to p-xylene. Catalyst now marketed globally. | 1985 | Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited |
2. | Catalyst for paraffin dehydrogenation to linear alkyl benzene | 1988 | Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited |
3. | Catalyst for dehydration of ethanol to ethylene | 1982 | Oxide (India) Private Limited India Glycols Limited |
4. | Process and catalyst to convert naphtha into gasoline and LPG | 2003 | Gas Authority of India Limited |
5. | Bimetallic catalyst for naphtha reforming | 1986 | Madras Refineries Limited Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited |
6. | Monometallic catalyst for naphtha reforming | 1980 | Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited |
7. | Catalyst and process for single-step oxidation of cyclohexane to adipic acid | 1995 | Chemintel, Inc. Licensed to ABB Lummus and Praxair |
8. | New generation of low- and high-temperature shift catalysts for conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide | 1970 | Several Indian fertilizer plans |
9. | Process and heterogeneous catalyst for production of acetanisole | 2004 | Pilot plant demonstration Available for commercial license |
10. | Sulfolane production process | 1996 | Casil Health Products |
These technology development and commercialization accomplishments were complemented by numerous important scientific contributions to catalysis by supported metals, mixed metal oxides, and zeolites. Dr. Prasada Rao’s scientific output includes:
· 100 research papers | · 300 technical presentations |
· 50 patents | · 3 books |
· 600 citations | · 10 Ph.D. students |
Dr. Prasada Rao has made numerous significant contributions to the practice of engineering both in India and globally. This has been accomplished through (1) concerted promotion and execution of technology transfer between India and the U.S., (2) inspirational leadership of research, development, and engineering organizations, and, (3) formulation of effective, creative, and transformational national policies in energy and chemical industries.
Dr. Prasada Rao worked extensively on popularizing Indian technologies globally, and, in particular, in the U.S. For example, Dr. Prasada Rao was responsible for the successful license of Indian Petrochemicals Corporation’s selective toluene disproportionation, toluene methylation, xylene isomerization, and transalkylation technologies to GTC Technology in 2000. His efforts were responsible for a historic alliance between Indian Institute of Petroleum and Mobil Technology Company, wherein the latter would market in the U.S. the former’s technologies. Another example is another agreement between Stone & Webster on the global marketing and licensing of Indian Institute of Petroleum’s visbreaking technologies. Dr. Prasada Rao’s recent initiatives have focused on licensing a new technology to produce organic acids through a novel and clean catalytic route to a leading petrochemical technology licensor in the U.S.
