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Indian packaging industry poised for growth; Dr R A Mashelkar

Shardul Nautiyal, MumbaiSaturday, May 16, 2015, 08:00 Hrs  [IST]

The Indian packaging industry has less than 5 per cent share of the world’s $550 billion packaging industry’s share. There is enormous potential for growth paving way towards intelligent packing, active packing, functional diagnostic packing in the future, said eminent scientist Padma Vibhushan Dr RA Mashelkar, while delivering his key note speech on the occasion of unveiling of new logo of the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP), designed by National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad.

Unveiled at the hands of the Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao, the event also marked the celebration of 50 years of Institute’s journey. Dr N C Saha, director, IIP said, “The logo captures the institute’s future prerogative in three important areas i.e. export promotion through the formulation of packaging standards for exportable commodities, upgradation of packaging education through the introduction of B Tech and M Tech courses in packaging technology and management. It also reflects packaging research for shelf life studies for fresh and processed food products and to develop alternative packaging materials in compliance to environmental regulations."

“The ‘I’ in India has to be innovation, not imitation and not inhibition,” Dr Mashelkar added.

IIP, an autonomous body under the ministry of commerce and industry, hosted the commencement of the year-long golden jubilee celebrations with much reverence. The event was graced by the Governor of Maharashtra Vidyasagar Rao, Rajani Ranjan Rashmi, additional secretary, ministry of commerce and industry.

Taking this opportunity to congratulate the institute, Vidyasagar Rao, the Governor of Maharashtra said, “As Governor, I am also the Chancellor of 20 universities in the state, with an enrollment of 3 million students. To my knowledge, very few students are aware of the career opportunities in packaging. I would urge the Indian Institute of Packaging to work closely with traditional universities and create awareness.”

“IIP’s contribution to the development of a strong packaging industry has been of immense help to India’s overall exports in the last so many years. Appreciations are fairly due to the institute for completing fifty fruitful years of service to the nation,” said Nirmala Sitharaman, minister of state for commerce and industry in a congratulatory email message.

The Institute also inaugurated an exclusive Technology Innovation Centre at the hands of Rajani Ranjan Rashmi, additional secretary, ministry of commerce and industry, Government of India at Mumbai. This Centre will be dedicated to develop innovative packaging technology and also to determine the chemical constituents in plastic materials for eg: BPA in polycarbonate and phthalate in PET.

The occasion was witnessed by more than 1000 participants consisting of industry members, students’ community, IIP alumni members, academicians, employees, policy makers to make this event a memorable one.

IIP is a national apex body set up in 1966 by the packaging and allied industries and the ministry of commerce, with the specific objective of improving the packaging standards in the country. The Institute has its head quarters at Mumbai and branches located at Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Chennai with upcoming ones at Bengaluru and Guwahati. The diversified activities of the institute encompasses the entire spectrum of the packaging and includes research, development, education, training, testing, information, consultancy, exhibitions, designs, publication, library and data base services.

 
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