Dr. Ashok Kumar Nanda, President–Sugar at SED, has been honoured with the prestigious S.C. Sharma Gold Medal for Innovation in Process Technology by the Sugar Technologists’ Association of India (STAI). The award was conferred on 19 August 2026 during the STAI Annual Convention, recognising his outstanding contribution to process innovation, engineering excellence and the advancement of sugar technology.
With 18 years of leadership at SED, Dr. Nanda has played a key role in driving innovations focused on process efficiency, energy optimisation and improved plant performance. His contributions to the sugar industry have earned him several prestigious national recognitions, including the Dr. P. J. Manohar Rao Gold Medal in 2025, Sharkarashri Award in 2022, and Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2022 and 2024. 
The S.C. Sharma Gold Medal further recognises Dr. Nanda’s sustained efforts in advancing process technology and engineering practices in the sugar industry. The honour also reflects SED’s continued focus on technological innovation, operational excellence and industry leadership.
