To commemorate National Science Day 2025, the Department of Chemistry organized a series of engaging events aligned with the theme “Integrating Traditional Knowledge with Modern Science for Sustainable Development”. These activities encouraged students to explore the scientific principles behind ancient Indian wisdom, emphasizing eco-friendly practices, herbal formulations, and sustainable innovations. The detailed reports of these events are as follows:
- Rasa-Rang: An Ecofriendly Rangoli Making Competition
The eco-friendly rangoli competition was organized for students of BA/BCom/BSc based on the theme “Science for Sustainable Development: Promoting Green Technologies”. Participants creatively incorporated natural materials such as turmeric, charcoal, indigo, and flower petals to design rangolis depicting themes of green technology, sustainable energy, and scientific progress.
The competition was judged based on predefined criteria, including relevance to the theme, creativity, use of eco-friendly materials, clarity, and overall presentation. The event successfully engaged students in exploring scientific themes through artistic expression. Overall, we had 11 teams participating in the competition.
Winners of the Competition:
1st Place: Arpita Kolambkar & Vishaka Kolambkar (SYBSc)
2nd Place: Vaibhavi Patrekar & Vinita Kalgutkar (SYBSc)
3rd Place: Sanika Kedu Kolapte & Subhalaxmi Gochhayat (TYBSc Chemistry)
Participation certificates were distributed to all students to acknowledge their efforts and encourage further participation. The event was coordinated by Ms Fatima Gracias and Ms Sneha Naik (Faculty, Chemistry Department).
- Ancient Indian Wisdom – The Chemistry of Herbal Healing
The Herbal Healing Competition aimed to bridge ancient Indian medicinal practices with modern scientific understanding. Students presented medicinal plants and their therapeutic chemical compounds, explaining their bioactive constituents, chemical structures, and pharmaceutical applications.
Participants demonstrated how ancient herbal knowledge aligns with modern medicinal chemistry, discussing compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, and glycosides found in various medicinal plants. Overall, we had 7 teams participating in the competition
Winners of the Competition:
1st Place: Ankita Thakur & Anjali Gawas (SYBSc)
2nd Place: Joselyn Roy Thayil & Muskan Singh (FYBA)
3rd Place: Adhya Verenker & Danya Ainkar (TYBSc Chemistry)
This event enhanced students’ understanding of traditional and scientific knowledge in medicinal chemistry. The event was coordinated by Ms Fatima Gacias and Ms Sneha Naik (Faculty, Chemistry Department).
- Ancient Indian Alchemy – The Science of Natural and Herbal Beauty
The Herbal Cosmetics Competition focused on preparing and analyzing natural beauty products using herbal ingredients. Students explored the chemistry behind traditional herbal formulations, preparing face packs, essential oils, lip balms, and soaps using natural and plant-based ingredients.
Each participant explained the chemical composition, medicinal properties, and benefits of their herbal cosmetic product, emphasizing eco-friendly and sustainable self-care practices. Overall, we had 15 teams participating in the competition
Winners of the Competition:
1st Place: Srushti S. Kudtalkar (SYBSc)
2nd Place: Mitali Narayan Bandodkar (TYBSc Chemistry)
3rd Place: Muskan Singh (FYBA)
The competition successfully promoted natural beauty alternatives and sustainable chemistry in skincare. The event was coordinated by Ms Fatima Gacias and Ms Sneha Naik (Faculty, Chemistry Department).
Judging and Special Recognition
A special highlight of this year’s National Science Day celebrations was the homecoming of our ex-students as judges. Alumni who had previously participated in similar events returned to evaluate the competitions, sharing their expertise and experiences with the current students. Their presence made the event nostalgic and inspiring, as they expressed their happiness at being back in their alma mater. The judges thoroughly enjoyed the experience and encouraged students to continue exploring scientific pursuits with enthusiasm.
To conclude, the National Science Day 2025 celebrations organised by our department successfully encouraged students to explore science through creativity, research, and innovation. The events helped students connect traditional Indian knowledge with modern scientific principles and provided a platform for them to showcase their skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm for chemistry and sustainability.