Prof Pankaj Raizada of Shoolini University was recognised as the ‘Most Outstanding Researcher in the Country’ in Chemical Engineering at the third Faculty Research Awards. Organised by Careers360, the awards were presented at the India Research & Impact Summit 2026 at The Imperial, New Delhi, on October 1.
A professor in the School of Advanced Chemical Sciences, Prof Raizada received a citation and a cash prize of ₹50,000. Prof GD Yadav, President of the Indian Chemical Society and Vice-President of the Indian National Science Academy, presented the award.
She was among 54 awardees across 27 domains, with recipients from institutions including IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia and IIM Mumbai. Academics with at least 10 publications between 2015 and 2025 were eligible for consideration. The evaluation assessed research output in Scopus-indexed journals, citation counts and h-index.
Research on Water Pollution and Wastewater Treatment
Prof Raizada specialises in inorganic chemistry, focusing on developing advanced materials to tackle water pollution and improve wastewater treatment. Her work examines how photocatalytic and nanostructured materials can help remove harmful pollutants from water.
This includes engineering metal oxides and sulphides and modifying their composition to improve pollutant-treatment effectiveness. The aim is to develop more efficient and sustainable methods of cleaning contaminated water.
Her research record includes 363 publications, more than 25,000 citations and a Scopus h-index of 97. She also has nine book chapters and 21 patents to her credit.
Her work has appeared in journals including Coordination Chemistry Reviews, Chemical Engineering Journal, Nano Energy, Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, Advanced Powder Materials, Journal of Materials Science & Technology and ACS Omega. These publications cover areas ranging from materials chemistry to environmental applications.
Alongside her research, Prof Raizada has guided more than 60 MSc students and several PhD scholars, supporting postgraduate research in chemistry and advanced materials.
Recognition for Research Contributions
Prof Raizada’s earlier honours include the DST Fast Track Young Scientist Award from the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi. She has also received research funding from the Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology and Environment (HIMCOSTE), Shimla.
She received the Research Excellence Award at Education Conclave 2026, organised by the Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission (HP-PERC). The award recognised research contributions based on citations achieved during 2025–26. Shoolini PhD chemistry scholar Monika Malhotra was also an awardee at the conclave.
The Careers360 honour recognised Prof Raizada’s publication record and citation impact, adding national recognition to her work on advanced materials for environmental applications at Shoolini’s School of Advanced Chemical Sciences.