Sanatan Hajra

 

Hello, I’m Sanatan Hajra, Development Manager in our Decorative Paints business in India. Let me tell you about my 14 years of experience in coatings innovation in India.

I was born in Calcutta and completed a Masters degree in Polymer Technology at Mumbai University in 1996 before joining ICI in 1997 as a technical officer in Hyderabad, where I worked on formulation development for water-based coatings.

In 2000, I joined Decorative Paints´ R&D department in Mumbai in the same capacity before becoming development manager in 2003. In this post, I’m the head of a four-member exterior product development team. Our task is to develop innovative formulations so that we can deliver cost-effective products to the fast growing Indian market that comply with AkzoNobel´s exacting sustainability and product stewardship requirements.

We have been consistently productive over the years with a series of highly successful product launches. In 2007, one of our innovation projects was nominated for the high profile ICI Innovation, Creativity & Excellence in Science & Technology (ICEST) award which recognizes R&D-driven innovation. This year, we won India´s prestigious 2010 Green Innovation Award for the Dulux WeatherShield SunReflect exterior wall paint. Launched in April 2010, this paint can reduce the interior temperature in a building by 5°C.     

What I really like about working at AkzoNobel is that the company is always seeking to push the boundaries when it comes to innovation. I find it very exciting to be involved in a truly creative process, working together in a cross-disciplinary global team. The only way to grow this business in India and put down sustainable roots is through innovation, and that means working together as a global team to deliver the best sustainable solutions from the resources at our disposal. It´s something that really motivates me.