Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. JAMMU: The Department of Chemistry & Chemical Sciences, Central University of Jammu, successfully organized the two-day International Conference on Recent Advances in Chemical Sciences (RACS-2026). The conference witnessed enthusiastic participation from eminent scientists, academicians, research scholars, and students from across India and abroad.
The conference was organized under the able leadership of the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sanjeev Jain, who served as the Chief Patron of the conference and extended strong support and encouragement for hosting this international academic event. He has consistently emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary research, innovation, and global collaborations in advancing chemical sciences.
The Dean, School of Applied Sciences, Prof. Vinay Kumar, played a pivotal role in guiding the academic framework, providing institutional leadership, and shaping the scientific sessions through his vision and academic direction.
The Convener, Dr. Sujata Kundan, meticulously coordinated the overall planning and execution of the program. The Co-Convener, Dr. Satyanarayana Battula, along with the organizing team, extended dedicated support in managing logistics, scientific scheduling, and participant coordination.
The first day featured keynote lectures by distinguished experts. Prof. V. Sridharan from the University of Hyderabad delivered a lecture on palladium-catalyzed cascade functionalization of alkynes. Prof. Pradeepta K. Panda, also from the University of Hyderabad, spoke on porphycene and expanded porphyrin analogues. Prof. S. S. V. Rama Sastry from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali discussed metal-free chemistry facilitated by phosphines.
The afternoon sessions included invited talks by Dr. Jugun Prakash Chinta from National Institute of Technology Warangal on antioxidant-based materials; Dr. B. S. Naidu from Institute of Nano Science and Technology on lanthanide-doped luminescent nanomaterials; and Prof. R. Gurubrahamam from Indian Institute of Technology Jammu on dual functionalization of alkynyl diazo carboxylates.
Further presentations were delivered by Dr. Chetti Prabhakar from National Institute of Technology Kurukshetra on DFT studies of organic materials and Dr. Someshwar Pola from Osmania University on OTFT-based Pb²⁺ sensors. The day concluded with an international keynote by Prof. Carsten Bolm from RWTH Aachen University on mechanochemistry in synthetic organic chemistry.
The second day featured keynote lectures by Prof. Vandana Bhalla from Guru Nanak Dev University on supramolecular assemblies; Prof. Iti Gupta from Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar on ER-targeting photosensitizers for breast cancer; Prof. Prakash Biswas from Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee on MOF-derived catalysts for methane reforming; and Prof. J. Carlos Menendez from the University of Madrid on mechanochemical synthetic strategies.
The concluding technical sessions included a talk by Dr. Shivnath Mazumder from the Indian Institute of Technology Jammu on AI-driven asymmetric Pauson–Khand reactions. The poster and oral presentation sessions provided an interactive platform for young researchers and scholars to showcase their work and engage in meaningful scientific discussions.
RACS-2026 concluded with a valedictory session, marking the successful culmination of two days of intensive scientific exchange, along with the distribution of prizes for Best Poster Presentation and Best Oral Presentation. The conference significantly contributed to fostering academic collaboration, promoting innovative research, and strengthening the research ecosystem in chemical sciences at both national and international levels.
The organizers expressed their sincere gratitude to the Chief Patron, Dean, invited speakers, participants, and members of the organizing committee for their collective efforts in making RACS-2026 a grand success.