Bengaluru, 30 May(HS): Sunil Nadkarni is a distinguished chemical engineer, innovator, and corporate leader whose career spans more than 42 years of technical excellence and community impact. Blending a sharp engineering mind with a passion for social service, he has left an indelible mark on both the corporate chemical sector and the humanitarian landscape of Western India.

Early Life and Education: Transforming a Timid Boy

Sunil was born in 1962 in Dharwad, the cultural capital of Karnataka. His family had relocated there in 1961 due to his father’s career with the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), which previously saw postings in Borivali (Mumbai), Udupi, and Puttur.

Sunil completed his primary education (1st to 4th standard) at the Modern School in the Saraswatpur locality, followed by matriculation at the Basel Mission High School. For his pre-university course, he attended the Karnataka Science College.

When it came time to choose a career path, Sunil was remarkably clear about what he didn't want:

Actually, I wanted chemical engineering because I never liked mechanical—those drawings, electrical circuits, and architecture were out of the question, civil out of the question... All that was going over [my head]. But I was very clear in pursuing chemical engineering.

Though his pre-university marks did not secure him an immediate state merit seat in chemical engineering, a 15% reservation for Konkani students at the Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) opened the door to his future. Attending MIT proved to be a pivotal turning point in his life.

Then after joining Manipal, I completely transformed. Otherwise, till 12th standard, anybody came to my house, I used to go inside and sit in the kitchen or the dining room. So Manipal totally transformed me.

Professional Journey & Technical Innovation After graduating, Sunil initially spent two months looking for work in Dharwad with no success. Following advice to head to Mumbai (then Bombay), he secured a role as a trainee at Deepak Fertilizers and Petrochemicals in Taloja. He spent five years there, gaining foundational experience by helping commission five separate greenfield plants.

Over his 42-year career, Sunil worked with several prominent multinational corporations (MNCs) and major Indian chemical firms, including:

Herdillia (1992): Worked on a greenfield project producing EPDM rubber in collaboration with Union Royal Corporation (USA).

Herdillia Chemicals

Bombay Dyeing

Perstorp Chemicals: Joined this Swedish company in Vapi as Vice President.

Heubach, Pidilite, and Jubilant

The Accidental Move to Gujarat & US Patents

In 1995, Sunil joined Huber Chemicals, a US-based multinational setting up its first 100% subsidiary in India. Originally handling process technology transfers and engineering from the Mumbai office, he was caught off guard when the company’s new manufacturing plant in Jhagadia, Gujarat, faced immediate product-qualification challenges. Local giants like Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL) and Colgate reported that the initial batches weren't meeting specifications.

Because Sunil thoroughly understood the product chemistry, the Managing Director tasked him with fixing the formulations. His innovative troubleshooting not only qualified the product for local clients but also yielded two US-registered patents—one for Colgate and one for Hindustan Lever. With the plant successfully stabilized, the company asked him to manage the facility full-time. What was meant to be a temporary assignment turned into an 11-year stay in Gujarat.

Uncompromising Integrity

Throughout his career, Sunil was defined by a strict adherence to professional ethics, which occasionally brought him into conflict with corporate management:

Wherever I worked, I always had a conflict with the management because I was a straightforward person. They used to say, 'you do this, that,' but I said, 'no, whatever is there, it has to be like that.' They said, 'you hide this, you fudge this, you manipulate this.' I said, 'Why should we do shortcuts?'

Entrepreneurship and Consultancy

In 2009, Sunil co-founded Innovative Solutions, a construction chemicals company. Though the business formulated highly effective solutions, disagreements arose among the partners regarding the timeline for return on investment. Sunil notes that it takes a minimum of 1000 days to establish a company, but the partners wanted immediate returns, leading them to sell the venture between 2009 and 2011. The company was later acquired by a prominent paint enterprise, and Sunil still serves on its board of directors to advise on complex formulations.

Stepping Back and Freelancing

Early in his career, Sunil set a personal goal to retire from full-time corporate work by age 55 to enjoy life and reconnect with friends. True to his word, he moved to Ankleshwar in 2015.

After a period of corporate consulting for firms like Norris Pharma and ChemBond, the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted him to shift entirely to freelance work. Today, he takes on short-term freelance projects for small and medium-scale industries—helping design plant layouts for pharma units, overseeing equipment erection, and guiding procurement negotiations.

Rotary Leadership and Humanitarian Legacy

Free from the demands of full-time corporate management, Sunil dedicates a significant portion of his time to fitness—regularly running half marathons—and community development through Rotary.

Joining the organisation in 2007, Sunil has spent nearly two decades as a pillar of his club, guiding it through several critical leadership roles:

Treasurer (Two terms)

Board Chair (Various strategic initiatives)

Honorary Secretary (2019)

Club President (2026)

He is recognised globally as a Paul Harris Fellow and is a Level 1 Major Donor currently moving toward Level 2 status, reflecting his deeply personal financial commitment to humanitarian causes. Through his club, he helps oversee vital community infrastructure, including a blood bank, a crematorium, a university, and a women's empowerment center.

Landmark Initiative: Geriatric Care

Sunil’s most enduring legacy is the creation of the Geriatric Care Certification Course. Developed in close collaboration with the prestigious Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, this six-month program addresses a critical societal gap by training young men and women to become qualified caregivers for the elderly. Through this initiative, Sunil has successfully bridged professional education with compassionate community service, creating a sustainable model of care that embodies the Rotary ideal of Service Above Self.

Hindusthan Samachar / Manohar Yadavatti