Department of Chemistry

National Science Day

National Science day-2025 was celebrated by faculty of Life sciences and Physical sciences at BHAVAN’S VIVEKANANDA COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, HUMANITIES AND COMMERCE SAINIKPURI, SECUNDERABAD on 28th February, 2025. The theme of the program was “EMPOWERING INDIAN YOUTH FOR GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN SCIENCE AND INNOVATION FOR VIKSIT BHARAT”. The celebrations started with lighting of lamp by dignitaries including the Principal, Dr.G. S. V. R. K Choudhary, Chief Guest Dr. S. Rajendra Prasad, member Secretary of Telangana Council of Science & Technology, Hyderabad, Mrs.M.Prasanna, Head Department of Physics and Electronics and Dr.K.Anuradha, Head Department of Microbiology. The program began with a message from the Principal, Dr.G.S.V.R.K.Choudary who highlighted the major scientific achievements in the field of space research and Life Science research. Chief Guest, Dr. S. Rajendra Prasad, member Secretary of Telangana Council of Science & Technology, Hyderabad, delivered the keynote address where he stressed on need to work on innovations. He encouraged students to put consistent effort in setting goals and working towards then. During his address, Dr. Rajendra Prasad explained the significance of Viksit Bharat for sustainable development. He advised the students to be focused and derive inspiration by reading books on scientists and also from notable alumni students from the college. He motivated students to use the philosophy of Think Science, Digest Science, and Implement Science- not just for personal growth, but for the benefit of society. The inaugural program ended with vote of thanks by Dr. K. Anuradha, Head Department of Microbiology. Several events were organized by the faculty of Life sciences and Physical sciences on the occasion of National Science Day.
Faculty of Life sciences conducted three events, including paper presentations, Quiz and Reel making competitions for students. The topic for Reel making competition was “Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in Science and Innovation for Viksit Bharat”. Faculty of Physical sciences conducted two events including project and paper presentations. The National Science Day celebration provided an excellent platform for students to express their innovative ideas and creativity in all the areas of Life Sciences and Physical sciences. The program concluded with valedictory session in which prizes were awarded to winning teams in the various events by Principal, Dr. G. S. V. R. K Choudhary. Overall the program received good response from the students, who took active part in the various events conducted on the occasion.

Value Added Course

The Department of Chemistry organized a value-added course on Computer-Aided Drug Designing (CADD) in online mode from 10th February 2025 to 20th February 2025, with sessions held from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM.
The programme was well-structured and insightful and aimed at equipping participants with essential computational tools and techniques for modern drug discovery. The course was coordinated by Dr. Mary Nygi Kurian, Head of the Department, and co-coordinated by Dr. L. Arunapriya from the Department of Chemistry. The resource persons for the course included Dr. Rama Krishna Dumpati (Scientist, PMC Group, USA), Dr. Mary Nygi Kurian, and Dr. L. Arunapriya, each specializing in different areas of CADD, providing a holistic understanding of the subject.
The course covered various critical aspects of drug design, including molecular drawing, docking, visualization, and pharmacokinetic property analysis. Hands-on training sessions enhanced the learning experience and provided practical exposure to key software tools.
The hands-on approach and interactive sessions made complex topics easier to understand and apply. Each session was well-structured, and the instructors effectively communicated key concepts. The course provided valuable insights into computational drug design, making it an enriching learning experience. Overall, it was highly engaging and beneficial for anyone interested in the field of drug discovery and development. The exposure to cutting-edge software and real-world applications will undoubtedly help participants in future research and professional endeavours.

Field Visit

The Department of Chemistry organized an industrial visit to Maithri Drugs Pvt. Ltd., Bonthapalle on 12th of February 2025. The primary objective of this visit was to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical applications in the pharmaceutical industry.
During the visit, the students interacted with Dr. Ramprasad and his team who provided invaluable insights into the various analytical techniques employed in the industry. The working of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Mass Spectroscopy, Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), and Gas Chromatography (GC) was discussed.
The visit also encompassed an overview of the Research and Development department, about the intricate processes involved in developing novel pharmaceutical products and formulations. This exposure helped the students comprehend the significance of interdisciplinary approaches in driving innovation in the pharmaceutical sector. A session on patents was conducted, which shed light on the importance of intellectual property rights in protecting innovative ideas and discoveries. The industrial visit to Maithri Drugs Pvt. Ltd. was a highly informative and enriching experience for the students. It provided them with practical exposure to real-world applications of chemical and pharmaceutical sciences.

Outreach Program

The Department of Chemistry hosted an outreach program on November 30th, 2024 at Sri Gayatri Vidyalaya, Neredmet to introduce key chemistry concepts such as golden rain experiment, the chemical chameleon reaction, Briggs Rauscher Oscillating Reaction, Fake Blood, Elephant Toothpaste and many other colorful reactions to students of classes 6 to 10. The event featured 5 – 6 different unique chemical reactions to attract the students and invoke an interest in the subject.
The event was co-ordinated by 2 student coordinators and 3 volunteers, with support from the head of department, Dr. Mary Nygi Kurian and assistant professor Dr. Aruna Priya. The program engaged over 60 students from the school and around 10 faculty members. The event was a success and was bolstered by the strong support from both the school’s and the BVC’s management underlining the institution’s commitment to promoting chemistry education.

Workshop

The Department of Chemistry organized a workshop on November 26th, 2024 titled “Empowering Future Chemists - Hands on training in Sustainable Green Lab Practices” in Chemistry Lab, Science Block. The green lab practices followed by the department were demonstrated to students of class XI and XII of Bhavan’s Sri Aurobindo Junior College, Bhavan’s Sri Ramakrihna Vidhyalaya and St. Andrews High School. The student volunteers of B.Sc. Life Sciences demonstrated the experiments to the students. 109 high school students participated in the workshop.
To instill a sense of curiosity in Chemistry, a quiz was organized for the attendees in the second session. Certificates were given to the winners and participants during the valedictory session. Dr. GSVRK Choudary, Principal, BVC and Dr. Mary Nygi Kurian, Head, Department of Chemistry,BVC addressed the students and encouraged the future chemists with their wisdom and blessings.

Guest Lecture

The Department of Chemistry organized a guest lecture on November 20th, 2024 at 10A.M. in room no. 208, MBA Block. Dr. Hafeez Basha, Advisor, Engineering Staff College of India(ESCI) Ex-CEO, OU, Technology, Business Incubator, delivered an inspiring guest lecture on "Employability and Entrepreneurship in Chemical Sciences" The event aimed to motivate the students to pursue careers in the field.
Over 161 enthusiastic B.Sc. Life Sciences students attended the lecture. Dr. Basha shared valuable insights into the industry, including his experiences with the IEEE and navigating market disruptions. He also provided guidance on starting a successful business.
The success of the event was due to the collaborative efforts of the Chemistry Department,led by Dr. Mary Nygi Kurian. The department continues to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among its students.

Science Club Activity

On 14th September 2024, the Department of Chemistry, Bhavan’s Vivekananda College organised Science Club Activity with the title “MAYCHEM – Where chemistry meets Mayhem!” & “Reactive Relay - React, Relay, Conquer: Where Every Second Counts!” in Room Number 60, Science Block, with the aim of creating awareness among students on the basics of Chemistry.

Guest Lecture

The Department of Chemistry organized a guest lecture titled “Strategic Use of Intellectual Property Rights in Chemical Research & Development” on 11th September, 2024 in room no. 208, MBA block. The lecture was delivered by Dr. Radhika Vangala, IPR Manager, BITS-Pilani, Hyderabad
The major topics covered and discussed were Intellectual property and it’s rights, Types of IPR, Copyrights, Trademarks, Trade secrets, Infringement stating various examples Patents concluding with PPP and IPR in chemistry. The session was attended by 140 undergraduate students from life sciences. It was a very informative and insightful session for the students.

Guest Lecture

The Guest Lecture on the topic “Role of Computational Modelling in Advancing Renewable Energy Research” by Dr. Ramesh Chitumalla (Post Doctoral Fellow, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea) on 2/3/2024 began with introduction of the faculty of chemistry by Mr. Mirza Fareedulla Baig of B.Sc. MbGC – II and a short introduction of guest speaker by Mr. Anirban Dash of B.Sc. MbGC – II, The Session started with a brief introduction to Computational Chemistry and how it forms the basis of many fields of theoretical chemistry, incorporating algorithms, mathematical models into software programs. In the introduction, Quatum Mechanics and Molecular Mechanics were also defined to the students, The flow of the lecture was as follows, Defining a Chemical System, Selection of Computational Method, Performing Simulation and Analyzing Results.

National Science Day

The Department of Life Sciences, BVC celebrated National Science day-2024 on 28th February, 2024. The theme of the programme was “INDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGIES FOR VIKSIT BHARAT”. The celebrations started with an inaugural programme, the Principal Dr.GSVRK Choudary and Heads of all Life Science Departments interacted with the students and explained to them the importance of National Science Day. The Chief Guest for the inaugural programme, Dr.Rama Krishna Kancha, Director,Prof.G.M Reddy’s Centre for Plant Molecular Biology, Osmania University, Hyderabad delivered the keynote address where he stressed on the importance and significance of Science in daily life. He also elaborated on how science has improved human health by citing the examples of recombinant insulin and thyroid treatment. The programme had a participation of about 150 students.

Guest Lecture

The Department of Chemistry organized a guest lecture “DNA Nanotechnology” under DBT star college scheme on 29/1/24 at 12:00 by Dr.Pragati Kishore Prasad , DST Inspire Faculty, CSIR IICT Hyderabad . The speaker discussed about the use of DNA walkers, DNA nanodevices as sensors like potassium sensors, artificial ion channels. She also discussed about DNA based artificial cell where it functions like a complete cell. The recent inventions and works on nano technology were also shared with the participants. The speaker also shared some insights on her research experience. After the lecture the students were given time to interact with the speaker. The session was very informative. Around 120 life science students from all semesters attended the lecture.

Workshop

Indian institute of packaging also popularly known as “IIP” that comes under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, was first established in 1966 in Mumbai and later got spread all over India having its reach to all four corners of the Indian subcontinent. Total 18 students from B.Sc. Life Sciences first year and one faculty Ms.C.V.L. Shivani attended the session on 23/12/2023. Students started the day with Mr. Natraj Sir, Director-in-chief of IIP, giving a brief up and lecture about how, what and when IIP come into scene of the developing, establishing and highly competent country like India. He later explained them about how the packing and packaging is lot more than what we think

Workshop

The symposium on Chemical Sciences for undergraduates, a collaborative endeavour between the Department of Chemistry of, Bhavan's Vivekananda College of Science Humanities and Commerce, and the Royal Society of Chemistry, London, UK, was conducted as an integral part of the DBT Star College Scheme. The event aimed to provide a comprehensive platform for aspiring chemists, encouraging an in-depth understanding and passion for the subject.

Workshop

The Department of Chemistry organized a two-day workshop on 5th and 6th December, 2023 at CIPET (Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology), Hyderabad. 55 Life Science students from all the three years attended the workshop.

Guest Lecture

The Department of Chemistry under DBT star college scheme organized a guest lecture on 2nd December, 2023. The topic of the lecture was “Synthetic Strategies” which was conducted in online mode on Zoom platform. The lecture was delivered by Dr. S. Kalyani, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Mahatma Gandhi University, Nalgonda. The session was attended by 60 students.

Tri-Colour Food Fest

Department of Chemistry as a part of Suposhan - (Strategy for undertaking participatory outreach by students for health and nutrition activity)- A voluntary wellness collaboration program, conducted an activity named "Tri-Colour Food Fest" on 24th November, 2023. 15 students participated in the fest and presented various food items.