University of Exeter’s FAME project, led by Prof Fayyaz Memon, wins India-UK Water Quality award

The Fate and Management of Emerging Contaminants (FAME) project, led by water engineering experts from the University of Exeter, secured the India-UK Water Quality award at a recent ceremony organised by Research Councils UK and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.

The coveted award was presented to Exeter’s Professor Fayyaz Ali Memon and IIT – Madras’s Prof Ligy Philip by Prof Ashutosh Sharma, India’s government Secretary for the Department of Science & Technology at the ceremony, held in New Delhi.

Speaking after the event, Prof Memon said: “We are delighted to have received this award, and I was personally honoured to be able to attend the ceremony on behalf of the research team.

“This pivotal project has an integral role to play in improving water quality in India, we are excited to pursue this impact oriented research and thrilled that our efforts have been recognised.” .”

The three-year FAME project is designed to investigate emerging contaminants in the major Indian rivers and wastewater treatment works, as well as creating novel and affordable treatment solutions for urban and rural India

The project has been devised to support the Indian Prime Minister’s flagship initiative – The Clean Ganga Mission. 

Led by Professor Memon, the FAME team includes key academics Professors David Butler and Shaowei Zhang from the University of Exeter, Dr Sarah Bell from UCL, Professor Ligy Philip (IIT-Madras) and Prof Absar Kazmi and Dr Bhanu Prakash Vellanki (IIT Roorkee).  The industry steering board for the project is chaired by Dr Hans Jensen – CEO UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR).

The project has 15 industrial partners including the Environment Agency, Southwest Water, Public Health England, Indian Central Pollution Control Board and wastewater treatment systems manufacturers based in the two countries.