Dr. Mrs. Vasudha Keskar, Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry is Managing Director of Maarc Labs Pvt. Ltd. Pune which is an Internationally recognized lab in the field of sugar analysis. She is sugar expert and well known in the sugar industry in India and abroad. Dr. Keskar has contributed in the field of sugar research by developing new methods for sugar analysis. Dr. Keskar is working as Referee of ICUMSA since last two decades. She is the recipient of G.S. Parkhe Industrial Merit Award, Ramabai Joshi award from MCCIA and number of other prestigious awards for her work.
Pioneers
DR. VASUDHA SHIRISH KESKAR
DR. SADASHIV NIMBALKAR
Dr. S. S. Nimbalkar, Director, and Quality Manager is a Ph.D. in Microbiology. An alumnus of Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) Pune, he has been the recipient of the S.P. Agharkar Gold Medal conferred upon him for his Ph.D. dissertation. He is working as an associate referee of ICUMSA (Subjects – Plantation White Sugar & Microbiology) & Member of Food & Agri. Committee of Bureau of Indian Standards.
As a Quality Manager, he has been responsible for implementing the stringent ISO/ IEC 17025 Quality system to the functioning of Maarc Labs Pvt. Ltd. and to keep the laboratory upgraded and updated with the global trends. Dr. Nimbalkar is having rich experience in the field of microbial sugar losses and Dextran problem in sugar processing. He introduced a novel concept of setting microbiological laboratories at sugar factories site and training the staff for microbiological analysis.
Both Dr. Keskar and Dr. Nimbalkar have extensive understanding and experience in the sugar quality analysis and they are working for Indian Sugar Industry as well as rendering services abroad.
Based on their proficiency in the chemical and microbiological field related to sugar and jaggery, the chemical composition of Kanak, assures maximum sucrose content with minimum impurities like sediments, ash, and dust. Kanak do not use Hydros powder for clarification to ensure that Jaggery is free from any chemicals like Sulphur. During jaggery making process, the moisture content is controlled to safeguard the final product from any microbial growth and later during packaging and storage.
Thus, Kanak is backed by two International Sugar Scientists for its safe chemical composition and shelf life, minimizing the microbial growth.
Pioneering work for chemical-free jaggery – Gul Sudhar Samiti
During the beginning of the 21st century, a committee called “Gul Sudhar Samiti” (Jaggery improvement Committee) was established in Pune, comprising Late Mr. N. C. Kharkar, Late Mr. Shamrao Oke and Dr. Mrs. Vasudha Keskar as members. The main objective of the committee was to create awareness regarding the unhygienic and hazardous practices in jaggery manufacturing. Many meetings were organized at that time to educate jaggery consumers regarding the importance of clean and chemical free jaggery.
It is said that addition of Hydros powder in the jaggery, began over the insistence of consumers, demanding the Golden Yellow colored jaggery.
It was necessary to break the vicious circle of demand and supply of yellow jaggery made using harmful Hydros powder. Hence, the committee conducted many awareness programmes for consumers and especially women where they explained the importance of chemical-free jaggery with its natural color and shared the downsides of chemically made jaggery.
The work resulted in the popularisation of chemical-free jaggery and now several jaggery manufacturers have stopped the usage of hydros powder in jaggery making process.