VK

Vijayamohanan K. Pillai

Also known as: Vijayamohanan K

IISER Thiruvananthapuram, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Tirupati, Indian Institute of Science, University College, Central Electrochemical Research Institute CSIR

ORCID iD 0000-0003-4839-4531
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About

Prof. Vijayamohanan K Pillai is a leading Electrochemist from India, who after receiving his Ph.D from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, worked in many areas of electrochemical power sources, electrochemical sensors and bio-electrochemistry for about two decades at the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune.

He has authored over 285 publications and 30 patents related to many innovations in both Electrochemistry and Materials Chemistry, while advising about 25 Ph.D. students in Materials Electrochemistry. His group has developed highly sensitive nanostructured platinum electrocatalysts for CO oxidation and Polymer Eelectrolyte Fuel Cells (PEMFC) using Nafion-based composite membranes with functionalized carbon nanotubes and graphenes. His research interests include Materials Electrochemistry, functionalization of carbon nanotubes/graphene nanoribbons and hybrid materials for fuel cells, supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries. He has also visited many countries including US, UK, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, China, Taiwan, and South Korea, either for collaborative research or for giving invited talks during international conferences.

He has received many honors and awards like The MRSI Medal, Bangalore in 1996 and CRSI Bronze Medal in 2004. He is a Member of the Editorial Board of Bulletin of Materials Science from 2005 onwards, Electrocatalysis from 2012 and Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group) from 2015 and is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences since 2008 and the Indian National Science Academy (2018). He has been an "Erudite visiting professor" at MG University, Kottayam since 2011 and has given “Professor K.S.G. Doss Memorial Lecture in 2011”, “Professor Gurumurthy Mangalam Endowment Lecture, Annamalai University” in 2012, “R.K. Barua Memorial Lecture at the Gauhati University” in 2013, “Prof. Chelikani Chiranjeevi Endowment Lecture Award, Andhra University” in 2015, “IICT-Avon Padmashri Dr. G S Sidhu Chemcon Distinguished Speaker Award-2016”, “Prof. B. Thimme Gowda endowment lecture 2015-16”, Mangalore University, “National Prize for Research on Energy Materials and Devices” by JNCASR, 2016, “Prof. T. L. Rama Char Memorial Lecture - ECS India”, 2016, “MRSI-ICSC Superconductivity and Materials Science Annual Prize”, 2016, “Dr. K T Achaya Memorial Award” by OTAI, 2017 and ISCB Award for Excellence (Chemical Sciences), 2019. He has also visited many foreign countries like US, Germany, France, Finland, Japan, China, Australia for giving invited lectures on many topics in Materials Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Energy Storage. In addition to being Director of CSIR-CECRI (April 2012 – October 2018), he held the additional charge as Director, CSIR-NCL, Pune from June 2015 to February 2016. He also functions as an independent director of the Board of High Energy Batteries, Ltd., (HEBL), Trichinapally and is in the Reserarch Advisory Board of Public Sector Companies like GAIL, ONGC and IOCL for various periods. Prof. Vijayamohanan K Pillai is at present functioning as visiting professor in the Department of Chemistry at IISER-Tirupati after completing his tenure as a Professor, Chair, JC Bose National Fellow (2020) of SERB, Dean R &D and acting Registrar for several years. In 2026 after superannuation he joined IISER - Thiruvananthapuram as an Emeritus Professor. He may be contacted using [email protected] or [email protected].

Employment

  • IISER Thiruvananthapuram Emeritus Professor
    2026 - Present
  • Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Tirupati Professor
    2019 - 2025
  • Central Electrochemical Research Institute CSIR Director
    2012 - 2019
  • Central Electrochemical Research Institute CSIR Acting Director
    2011 - 2012
  • Central Electrochemical Research Institute CSIR, Chennai unit Outstanding Scientist (Scientist H)
    2010 - 2011
  • National Chemical Laboratory CSIR Scientist
    1991 - 2010

Education

  • Indian Institute of Science Ph.D.
    1983 - 1989
  • University College Undergraduate
    1980 - 1982
  • Fatima Mata National College B.Sc.
    1977 - 1980

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (115)