Demonstrated leadership & techno-commercial expertise in integrating science, technology & commerce in the ‘concept-to-commercialization’ innovation cycle, leading to successful commercialization of more than 30 product / process technologies todate

Director (Research & Technology) & Head, Reliance Technology Centre, Polyester Business, Reliance Industries Ltd. (1996-2008), the largest private sector company in India with annual sales of about $ 30 billion.
Set up the R & D centre for polyester research, starting with 4 scientists in 1996 to a peak team strength of 65, delivering a number of novel product / process innovations to the business.

Industrial R & D experience of eight years in U.S.A. at the ‘Du Pont Experimental Station’ in Wilmington, Delaware (1974-77) & at the ‘Technical Center’ of Owens Corning Fiberglas (OCF) Corporation in Granville, Ohio (1978-81), in fibre spinning technologies of polyester, nylon, acrylic, aramid & glass fibers; non-wovens; product design & processing of composites; polymer & fiber characterization.
Set up the ‘Exploratory Research’ group in polymeric materials with staff strength of 12 scientists/engineers at OCF (1978-81).

Eight U.S. patents, 6 Indian patents & more than 20 new patent applications (pending); refer to attached list.

Established the research programme in Polymer Science & Engineering (PSE) with group strength of 30 researchers at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) in Pune (India), a Government of India supported R & D institute (1981-93).
Deputy Director & Head, Chemical Engineering Division, NCL (1989-93), leading a group of 30 lead scientists/engineers (Ph.D.) with 20 support staff & 25 research scholars.

Recognised Ph.D. Research Guide for Chemical Engineering, Plastics Technology, Chemistry & Physics at Bombay & Delhi I.I.T.’s, University Department of Chemical Technology (Bombay University), and Pune University; mentored fourteen Ph.D. & four M.S. research students

Member, Reviewers’ Panel of reputed international journals in Polymer Science & Engg. (Macromolecules, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Industrial & Engg. Chemistry Research, etc.)

More than 100 scientific publications in peer-reviewed international journals, book chapters, etc. (composite citation index of 5.79)

Managing Director, Techcellence Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd., Pune, a company involved in consultancy and contract research for process & product innovation with polymers & fibres through ‘knowledge engineering’, founded by Dr. Nadkarni in 1993; a no. of product / process technology upgradation & development projects successfully executed with about 30 Indian & overseas (USA, Europe) companies in the past 15 years.

Consultant to leading companies in India and abroad in polyester fibre/filament manufacture; applications development of engineering plastics, such as polyphenylene sulfide, PTFE (Teflon), etc.; design & development of molded composite products for engineering applications; compounding technology for polymer blends/alloys and thermoplastic composites; phenolic resin manufacture; polyurethane formulations & applications development.

Chairman, Rand Polyproducts Pvt. Ltd., Pune, a company involved in the development & manufacture of specialty polyurethane and epoxy resins for the electronics industry & for adhesives, sealants, paints & coatings (Company established in 1984 with Dr. Nadkarni as one of the founder promoters)

Managing Partner, ‘Procsim Engineers’, Pune, a firm involved in process simulation software development; ‘SPINWELL-PET’ melt spinning simulation software procured by Du Pont, Wellman, Zimmer, Neumag, Unifi, Reliance, SABIC, etc.

Technical advisor to Government agencies and industry in technology selection of polyolefin plants, PET fibre plants, composite technology including carbon fibre manufacture (1981-92).

Profile included in the millenium issue (2000) of “Who’s Who in Plastics & Polymers” (Society of Plastics Engineers, U.S.A.)

Distinguished Materials Scientist Award, Institution of Engineers (India) (1995).

Fellow, Indian Academy of Science (since 1993).

Materials Research Society of India (MRSI) Medal (1991)

I.C.M.A. Award for Export of Engineering Services to China as a member of NCL team (1991).

Hindustan Lever Award (Biennial) for Outstanding Chemical Engineer, Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (1990).

Modified Polyethylene Terephthalate staple fibers and filament yarns produced by batch and continuous polymerization process exhibiting a combination of useful properties of easy dyeability, controlled shrinkage and improved tensile properties

Self crimping fully drawn high bulk yarns and method of producing thereof  

Short polyester fibers as secondary reinforcement in cementitious materials 

Inherently coloured polyester,polymers,fibers and filaments and process for producing them 

Multilobal filament fabrics and process for making the same.

Process of producing ultrafine microdenier filaments and fabrics made thereof

Improved process for the production of  higher molecular weight polyester resin for the low molecular weight crystalline prepolymer.

Modified polyester resin having slow rate of crystallization 

Polyester resin having improved frictional properties

A process plant comprising reactor internals coated with low surface energy materials and process for the production of polyester resin using the same

A process for preparing conducting thermoplastic polyester fibers,monofilaments or multifilament yarn and products thereof 

An efficient process for the production of polyester 

Easily Alkali Soluble Polyester and method of producing the same 

Novel adducts as branching agents for condensation polymer and method for producing the same.

Controlled branched polyester and process for making the same.

An efficient and cost-effective process for production of coloured thermoplastic polymer 

Novel Catalysts for the production of Polyester

Novel Catalysts for the production of Polyester 

An efficient process for the production of High Molecular weight Polyester and low molecular weight prepolymer.

An improved solid-state polymerization process for the production of high molecular weight polyethylene terephthalate

An improved process for the production of slow crystallizing polyester resin

An efficient process for the production of high molecular weight polyester