Researcher returns to India with knowledge and expertise from North Wales
2 June 2006
A science researcher from India has returned home from Wrexham hoping the knowledge he has acquired here will enable him to make a difference back in his home country. Vineet Amar, from New Delhi has returned to India after a period of seven months working at NEWI on a research project which could have a huge impact internationally.
Vineet came to NEWI as a visiting researcher to work at the prestigious Glyn O Phillips Hydrocolloids Centre, an international bioscience research centre dedicated to researching and identifying natural materials which can be used for a wide range of purposes from medical uses to various uses in food.
Vineet’s visit was specifically to study Gum Ghatti, a by-product which is collected from the Ghatti tree which grows all over India. The Gum is then sold for use all over the world and is used in everything from wine and whisky to medicinal products. The problem faced by those in India who harvest and distribute the product is that they need more in depth knowledge about how best to harvest the substance to ensure it is of the highest quality.
Vineet has now returned to New Delhi and has been appointed as the Research and Development Manager for his company. He will travel to the forest areas in the region to advise the local farmers on the type of gum ghatti nodules they should collect to ensure quality and consistency of the product. By sharing the knowledge he has gained here he will be able to help others improve their livelihoods and support the economic development in the region.
The Glyn O Phillips Hydrocolloids Centre has developed a worldwide reputation for its work and Vineet’s company in India contacted the centre especially with a view to sending staff to North Wales to study and train in the principles and practice of this specialist scientific area. His work here will also form the basis of a research publication which is a collaboration between his company in India and San Ei Gen a large Japanese company.