Prof (Dr.) Arun Sawant was awarded “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Indian Chemical Society. Incidentally this premier society is entering 100th year in 2024. This is a premier Scientific Society of India, was founded in 1924, as the National Forum for the community of chemists and members of allied disciplines in the country.
A renowned name in Inorganic, Nuclear, Analytical, and Environmental Chemistry, Prof (Dr.) Arun Sawant has had an illustrious career in teaching and research. With more than 200 publications in international and national journals, 26 research scholars have been awarded PhD under his guidance. He also has a research article published in the Encyclopedia of Analytical Science, published by Cambridge University. The significant research conducted by him in environmental science shed light on dreaded lead poisoning cases in Maharashtra and Dadra Nagar Haveli. He has also worked to show the impact of lead pollution on traffic police. This helped in the introduction of policy for unleaded petrol in India. He has also worked extensively in the area of industrial pollution.
Due to his academic and administrative excellence, Prof (Dr.) Arun Sawant was appointed as Joint Director of Higher Education by the Government of Maharashtra, Pro Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University, and Vice Chancellor of the University of Rajasthan as well.
He has held several distinguished positions in various organizations. He is serving as the President of the Society for Clean Environment (SOCLEEN) and President of National Society of The Friends of Trees. He has also served as President of the Mumbai Rose Society.
He has worked to bring several reforms in administration of Higher Education which led to the framing of the Private University Act, Law University Act, amendments to the Maharashtra University Act, and professional course fees Regulations and admission processes.
“I have strived to work and utilize my knowledge not only for the research but also for the social causes because that should be the prominent goal of the science”, says Prof Dr. Arun Sawant who is currently the Director of Waste to Energy Research and Technology Council –India(WTERT) a Columbia University venture of Global WTERT, engaged in establishing the technologies for converting waste into Energy.