Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences inaugurated the XXVII International Congress on Glass in Kolkata….

Press Release

20th January 2025, Kolkata: Kolkata, the “City of Joy,” played host to the XXVII International Congress on Glass (ICG 2025) on January 20th. Organized by CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI), the prestigious event commenced at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre and will conclude on January 24th.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, graced the inauguration ceremony. The event brought together eminent figures from the global glass community, including Prof. Hiroyuki Inoue, President, ICG & Professor, University of Tokyo, Japan; Prof. Reinhart Conradt, Immediate Past President, ICG & Uniglass AC GmbH, Germany; Prof. Manoj Choudhary, Former President, ICG and Adjunct Professor, The Ohio State University, USA and Prof. Alicia Duran, Former President, ICG and Research Professor, CSIC, Instituto de Cerámica y Vidrio, Madrid, Spain. This marks a significant achievement for CGCRI, which previously hosted the ICG in 1986.

Prof. Bikramjit Basu, Director of CSIR-CGCRI, emphasized at the ICG 2025 curtain raiser press conference that the Congress aims to:
Facilitate a dynamic exchange of ideas and knowledge among participants.
Address critical challenges and explore promising opportunities within the field of glass technology.
Significantly benefit the Indian glass community, encompassing faculty, researchers, students, and industry professionals.
Cultivate fruitful collaborations with institutions and universities globally, focusing on cutting-edge research, development, and futuristic applications.
In conjunction with the main Congress, the 3rd ICG-CGCRI Tutorial on Glass was conducted from January 17th to 19th, 2025, facilitating knowledge exchange and skill enhancement.
The Glass Congress, a triennial event organized by the International Commission on Glass (ICG), serves as a pivotal platform for the global glass community to exchange ideas, knowledge, and experiences.
Hosted by member countries, this prestigious event aims to:
Address critical challenges and explore promising opportunities within the field of glass technology.
Provide invaluable benefits to India’s glass community, including faculty, researchers, students, and industry professionals.
Foster collaborations with renowned institutions and universities worldwide, focusing on cutting-edge research, development, and futuristic applications.
The conference will feature 12 symposia covering a diverse range of topics within glass science and technology. ICG 2025 centers around the theme “Glass: A Smart and Sustainable Material,” highlighting the transformative potential of emerging technologies in revolutionizing glass applications across various sectors.A major highlight of the event will be a mega exposition showcasing innovative products and technologies from leading glass industries, research institutions, and professional societies worldwide. Approximately 15 exhibitors are expected to participate.
The Congress will host over 550 delegates, including 150 international participants from 20 countries. The distinguished attendees will include eminent researchers, academicians, industry leaders, young faculty members, and students. The event will feature 11 Plenary Speakers, 22 Keynote Speakers, and 94 Invited Speakers, who will contribute through insightful presentations and discussions. Furthermore, there will be around 140 poster presentations and 111 contributory presentations.
Glass is widely regarded as a transformative material, contributing to approximately 11 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. Recognizing its critical role in human progress, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2022 as the International Year of Glass, marking the first time in UN history that a material has been honored in this way. Glass’s potential to address pressing global issues, including climate change, highlights its importance in sustainable development..