BIO

Somnath was born and raised in West Bengal, a state in the eastern part of India with rich diversity of culture, tradition and values. He was raised in the suburbs of Kolkata from where he completed his school, college and university education. For his PhD, he worked in the field of organic photochemistry at Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Kolkata, the oldest research institute in Asia.  After post-doctoral stints in Tsing Hua Universty, Hsinchu, Taiwan (Carbohydrate Synthesis) and IACS,Kolklata (Nanocatalysis), he joined ISM, Dhanbad where he is a faculty member. He is married to Srirupa and is blessed with two children.

He teaches organic chemistry courses to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Currently, he teaches courses on organic photochemistry, pericyclic reactions and asymmetric synthesis.

 

His research interests primarily lie in the area of  organic synthesis for synthesis of compounds with interesting biological or material applications. Within this broad scope, he works in the area of target oriented synthesis of oligosaccharides for development of vaccines as also development of sustainable catalytic methodologies for C-C, C-N bond formations and synthesis of heterocycles of biological interest. 

 

For relaxation his hobbies include playing chess and following developments in astrophysics, astronomy and archeological history of ancient civilizations.