Central Leather Research Institute or CLRI is the world's largest leather research institute in terms of research papers and patents.[1][2] The institute located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu was founded on 24 April 1948 as a constituent laboratory under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.[3]
History
editSoon after India attained independence in 1947, the first government of the country led by Jawaharlal Nehru focused on industrialisation.[4] As a part of that, several research laboratories and institutes, such as National Physical Laboratory in New Delhi, National Chemical Laboratory in Pune, National Metallurgical Laboratory in Jamshedpur, Fuel Research Institute in Dhanbad, Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute in Kolkata, were set up across the country. On 24 April 1948, the then Central Minister of Industry and Supply Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee laid the foundation stone in the Guindy region of Chennai.[5] Madras State awarded 75 acres (30 ha; 0.117 sq mi) to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and ₹4,000 (US$48) towards expenses for levelling the land and making it suitable for building construction.[6]
Activities
editThe objective of the institute was to deal with all aspects of the leather industry. It carries out research and development in areas such as adapted preservation methods for new hides and skins, improvement of existing leather with respect to shrinkage and color fastness, tanning and finishing techniques, control of environmental pollution, and product design and development of garments, shoes and other articles.[7] The institute also offers technical assistance through training courses on design development, sample making and fabrication, consultancy, preparation of feasibility reports, quality control, among various other activities.[7]
The institute houses departments such as Chemical and Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering Sciences and Information Sciences. Besides this, the institute has four regional extension centers in Ahmedabad, Jalandhar, Kanpur and Kolkata.[8]
Milestones
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In 2003, the institute came up with a biological dressing for burn patients that helps in healing second and third degree burns faster and more effectively.[9] In 2004, the institute tied up with National Institute of Fashion Technology to offer professional educational programmes specifically for designing footwear and leather products.[10] In the same year, the institute took up a pilot activity to produce biodiesel from rice bran oil.[11] In 2014 CLRI Scientists launched website to conveniently share real research problems and solutions in research.[12] In 2023, the institute came out with a Indian Footwear Sizing System (BHA), after analysing over 1 lakh feet spanning 70 plus districts in the country.
Notable people from the institute
edit- G. N. Ramachandran developed a triple-helical model of collagen using samples provided by the institute during his research in 1954.[13] He was later awarded the 1999 Ewald Prize for his contributions.[14]
- Thirumalachari Ramasami, a former director of the institute, was a renowned chemist. For his contributions, he was awarded the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award and the Padma Shri.[15] He is awarded Padma Bhushan in 2014[16][17]
- Narayanan Chandrakumar, chemical physicist, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar laureate
- Dr Kalarical Janardhanan Sreeram, a CSIR Young Scientist Awardee is the current Director of CSIR-CLRI since November 2019.
References
edit- ^ "Bioprocessing To Rid Leather of Environmental Hazards". The Financial Express. 16 February 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ "CLRI signs MoU with UK university". Information Centre for Aerospace Science and Technology. Archived from the original on 20 September 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "CLRI – About Us". Central Leather Research Institute. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ Burma, Debi Prasad; Chakravorty, Maharani (2011). From Physiology and Chemistry to Biochemistry. Delhi: Longman. pp. 147–148. ISBN 9788131732205.
- ^ "Central Leather Research Institute for Madras". The Indian Express. 20 April 1948. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ "Towards Greater Industrialization". The Indian Express. 25 July 1948. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ a b Singer, Hans Wolfgang (1977). Technologies For Basic Needs, Volume 22. Geneva: International Labour Organization. pp. 150–151.
- ^ "CLRI – Departments". Central Leather Research Institute. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ Nadeshda (23 December 2003). "Hope for burn patients". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ "Take technology to artisans to make quality leather products: Governor". The Hindu. 12 May 2004. Archived from the original on 24 June 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ Srinivasan, G (6 October 2004). "Here's the next bio-diesel from rice bran oil". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 31 October 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ The Times of India https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/social/scientists-upload-share-equations-get-solutions-from-across-the-globe/articleshow/29132592.cms. Archived from the original on 30 January 2014.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Ramakrishnan, C. (2001). "In Memoriam: Professor G.N. Ramachandram (1922-2001)". Protein Science. 10 (8): 1689–1691. doi:10.1002/pro.101689. PMC 2374078. PMID 11468366.
- ^ Vijayan, M. "50 years of collagen triple helix: a celebration of science". The International Union of Crystallography. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ "DST secretary Ramasami gets two-year extension". The Hindu. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
- ^ "Padma Awards Announced". pib.nic.in.
- ^ "Print Release". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-28.