AIChE Student Regional Conference ‘Viplav SRC 2026’ Concludes Successfully At RGIPT

Jais, Amethi [India], August 24: The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Student Regional Conference (SRC)–India, “Viplav SRC 2026,” concluded successfully today at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT), Jais, after three days of technical learning, innovation, competition and knowledge exchange. The conference was organised from 21 to 23 August 2026 and brought together around 250 students from reputed institutions across the country.

Students from B. V. Raju Institute of Technology, Telangana; B.M.S. College of Engineering, Bengaluru; Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore; Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat; MIT World Peace University, Pune; National Institute of Technology, Rourkela; Institute of Chemical Technology–Indian Oil Odisha Campus, Bhubaneswar; BITS Pilani; and RGIPT, Jais, participated in the conference.

The three-day event featured technical paper and poster presentations, Chem-E-Car, quiz competitions, and K-12 events. The Chem-E-Car performance run winner is MIT WPU. In the K-12 category, NIT Rourkela emerged as the winner in the KG–G2 category, BVRIT in G3–G5, VIT in G6–G8, and VIT in G9–G12. Priyansh Bisht from VIT won the Technical Paper Presentation award and Anshika Sahetai from SVNIT won the Poster presentation award. The team of RGIPT won the Chem-E-Jeopardy award. The flagship event has been won by the team of VIT.

In the K-12 category, NIT Rourkela emerged as the winner in the KG–G2 category, BVRIT in G3–G5, VIT in G6–G8, and BITS Pilani in G9–G12. Priyansh Bisht of VIT won the Technical Paper Presentation competition.

The valedictory and prize distribution ceremony was held on 23 August at the Swami Vivekananda Auditorium, RGIPT. The ceremony was graced by Shri Saravanan T., IPS, Superintendent of Police, Amethi, as the Guest of Honour, and Prof. Harish Hirani, Director, RGIPT. The dignitaries felicitated the winners and appreciated the contributions of participating students, faculty members, organisers and volunteers.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Saravanan T., IPS, Superintendent of Police, Amethi, congratulated the students for their enthusiastic participation and competitive spirit. He emphasised that while easy goals may be achieved with relative ease, difficult goals demand hard work, determination, discipline, integrity, a positive attitude and sustained effort. He encouraged students to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth rather than viewing them as obstacles.

Highlighting the importance of character in professional and personal life, Shri Saravanan said that technical knowledge and academic excellence, though essential, are not sufficient for long-term success. He emphasised the importance of integrity, attitude, acceptance of different perspectives, empathy, human connection, effective communication and the ability to build relationships based on trust and mutual respect.

He encouraged students to remain open to learning from others, respect diverse viewpoints and develop the ability to work effectively with people from different backgrounds. He also stressed the importance of liaison, collaboration and relationship-building in achieving larger goals, noting that professional success increasingly depends on one’s ability to connect with people and work collectively.

Calling upon students to set ambitious goals, he urged them to combine competence with character, confidence with humility, and ambition with responsibility. He also appreciated the organisers for bringing together young minds from different parts of the country and creating a platform that encourages learning, leadership, resilience and collaboration.

Addressing the students, Prof. Harish Hirani, Director, RGIPT, emphasised that the true value of knowledge lies not merely in acquiring it but in continuously learning, innovating and translating knowledge into practical solutions.

He observed that platforms such as AIChE SRC provide students with an opportunity to present their ideas, test their understanding, interact with peers from different institutions and gain exposure to diverse approaches to technical and societal challenges.

Highlighting the interconnected challenges of green energy, decarbonisation and hydrogen energy, Prof. Hirani said that their effective integration would be essential for building a sustainable, resilient and energy-secure future. He encouraged students to look beyond conventional academic boundaries and transform their ideas and research into technologies, products and solutions that can address real-world challenges.

Reflecting on the larger purpose of the conference, Prof. Hirani said that the question before the world is no longer simply:

“Can we decarbonise?”

but increasingly:

“How quickly can we convert our knowledge, technology and ideas into action?”

Prof. Hirani noted that there is no single solution to decarbonisation and that the transition will require a portfolio of solutions, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, electrification, green hydrogen, carbon management, sustainable fuels and circular economy approaches.

He encouraged them not to limit their aspirations to publishing research papers, but to ask whether their ideas can become technologies, products or solutions that solve industrial and societal problems, reduce emissions and create economic value.

Prof. Hirani also highlighted India’s energy transition as a major technological and economic opportunity, with the potential to generate new industries, research areas, start-ups, technologies and employment opportunities.

Emphasising the importance of collaboration, Prof. Hirani said that the next phase of India’s energy transition would require strong partnerships among academia, industry, government and start-ups, along with a faster transition from laboratory research to pilot projects, demonstrations and commercial-scale technologies.

The conference provided students with an opportunity to engage in technical discussions, present research, participate in innovative competitions and interact with peers from leading institutions across India. It also encouraged multidisciplinary thinking and collaboration in addressing contemporary challenges in chemical engineering, energy and sustainability.

The conference was coordinated by Dr. Vivek, with Dr. V. S. Sistla, Head of the Department, and Shubhendra, Student Lead, playing key roles in its organisation. The efforts of the faculty coordinators, student volunteers, and the organising team contributed significantly to the successful conduct of the event.

The successful conclusion of Viplav SRC 2026 reaffirmed RGIPT’s commitment to nurturing technical excellence, innovation, leadership, entrepreneurship and collaborative learning among the country’s young minds.

The conference concluded with a powerful message that knowledge must lead to innovation, innovation must lead to implementation, and implementation must ultimately create value for society.

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