Major projects as Co-PI:

1. 1997 – Co-Principal Investigator in the project funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India, for setting up “National Centre for Ultrafast Processes”, at the University of Madras. This Center houses Pico- and nanosecond time resolved absorption and emission spectrometers.
2. 1998 – Co-investigator in the project funded by DST under IRHPA scheme for the procurement of 400 MHz HRNMR at the Department of Chemistry, IIT, Madras based on a proposal on “Application of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Synthetic, Mechanistic and Structural Investigations”.
3. 2013 – Co-investigator in the project sanctioned by DST on Novel organic sensitizers, donors and acceptors and ionic liquid electrolytes for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC). There are 7 Chemistry faculty involved in this project.

Details of Research Projects Funded by External Agencies as PI:

1. Title: Photoinduced Single Electron Transfer Mediated Michael Reactions.A Study of Charge Transfer Intermediates From Michael Donors and Acceptors.
   Funding Agency: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, INDIA
   Duration: 3 Years (1992-1995) Status: Completed
2. Title: Control of and utilization of back electron transfer in organic electrondonor acceptor systems. Study of photoinduced electron transfer.
   Funding Agency: Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi, INDIA
   Duration: 3 Years (1993-1996) Status: Completed
3. Title: Stereoselective substitution of acetals in lithium perchlorate-diethyl ether medium.
   Funding Agency: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, INDIA
   Duration: 3 years (1996-1999) Status: Completed
4. Title: Novel cyclophanes with acetylenic bridges. Synthesis, structure and reactivity studies.
   Funding Agency: Volkswagen Stiftung, Germany
   Duration: 3 years (1999-2005) Status: completed
   Collaborator: Prof. Dr. Henning Hopf, University of Braunschweig, Germany.
5. Title: Cyclophanes with novel molecular architectures: Investigation of
   host-guest chemistry and photochemistry.
   Funding Agency: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, INDIA
   Duration: 3 Years (2000-2003) Status: Completed
6. Title: Synthesis, structure and reactivity studies on shape persistent macrocyclic silacyclynes.
   Funding Agency: Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), New Delhi, INDIA
   Duration: 3 years (2003 – 2006) Status: Completed
7. Title: Synthesis of Acetylenic Macrocycles: Model Systems for Graphyne Substructures.
   Funding Agency: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, INDIA
   Duration: 3 Years (2005-2008) Status: Completed
8. Title: Synthesis of functionalized polyethynyl pyrene and perylene derivatives for applications in molecular electronics and photonics.
   Funding Agency: Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi, India
   Duration: 3 years (2007-2010) Status: completed.
9. Title: Abnormal N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. Synthesis, transition metal complexes (Pd, Ni, Cu) and applications in asymmetric synthesis.
   Funding Agency: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, INDIA
   Duration: 3 Years (2010-2013) Status: completed
10. Title: N-Heterocyclic carbene ligands and their lanthanide ion complexes. Synthesis, structure, redox and luminescence studies.
    Funding Agency: Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi, India
    Duration: 3 years (2012-2015) Status: completed.
11. Title: Cyclooctatetraene based cyclacenes. Synthesis of fascinating fused molecular tubs and belts.
    Funding Agency: SERB, New Delhi
    Duration: 3 years (2016-2019) Status: on-going since October 2016.
12. Title: Investigation of Stable Organic and Organometallic Radical Ions and Ions as electroactive species in Organic Redox Flow Batteries (RFBs) in Non-aqueous media.
    Funding Agency: SERB, New Delhi
    Duration: 3 years (2018-2021) Status: on-going since October 2018.
    Co-PI: Dr. R. Kothandaraman

Industrial Consultancy and related activities:

1. Based on the process developed in our laboratory for the synthesis of a metal-free phosphate-binding agent we have been able to transfer the technology to an industry (Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Pune). The product is now commercialized in the name FOSEAL®. It is used as a drug on chronic renal patients for the removal of excess phosphate from the blood. The value of technology transfer is Rs.15.00 lakhs
2. We have developed a lab scale process for the conversion of water based natural dye extracts into free flowing powder. The powder form of these natural dyes has long shelf life and is easy to handle and transport. Natural dyes are commercially important and have a huge export market. As part of “Socially Relevant Projects” initiative of IIT Madras, the methodology/knowhow developed in our lab was given at free of cost to Gandhigram Trust, Dindigul.
3. During 2006-2007 – consultant to BASF (India), Mumbai. Besides consulting, I also delivered several lectures at BASF as part of continuing education for their R&D staff.
4. 2007 – RBIC project funded by BASF (Germany) on “Analysis and chemical identification of Cupren”, worth Rs.2.06 lakhs
5. 2009-2010 –RBIC project funded by Madras Institute of Nephrology Research Pvt Ltd, Chennai on “Development of a methodology for the production of tolvaptan”, worth Rs. 6.6 lakhs

Research collaborations:

Since 1996 with Prof. Dr. Henning Hopf, Director, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Braunschweig, Germany. Research funded by the Volkswagen Stiftung, Germany (2000-2005).

Publications arising out of this collaboration = 9