Valangiman Subramanian Ramamurthy received BSc and MSc degrees in Physics from Madras University. Thereafter, in 1963 he joined the Training School of the then Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (now Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) and continued to work there (1964-89). His early work on the stochastic theory of fragment mass and charge distributions in low energy fission earned him PhD (1971) from Bombay University. He was Director, Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar (1989-95), Secretary to Government of India, Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi (1995-2006), and DAE Homi Bhabha Chair Professor in the Inter-University Accelerator Center, New Delhi with a special focus on accelerator applications and human resource development in Science and Technology..

Academic and Research Achievements: Ramamurthy's research in nuclear physics, in particular on the physics of nuclear fission involved both experimental and theoretical studies. These span areas of nuclear fission and heavy ion reaction mechanisms, and statistical and thermodynamic properties of nuclei. His investigations on the rapid vanishing of nuclear shell effects, nuclear level densities, pre-equilibrium fission and sub-barrier fusion dynamics are all landmark contributions which have stood the test of time. He was member of the design team of the first peaceful nuclear experiment in Pokharan in 1974. At the Institute of Physics, he established a 3 MV Accelerator Facility and led an active programme of research in the areas of physics covering atomic and molecular clusters and low energy accelerator applications. Under his stewardship, the Institute became an active member in the experimental high energy nuclear physics programme using the heavy ion accelerators in CERN, Geneva. .

Other Contributions: As Secretary, DST, he took several new initiatives towards the promotion of science and technology in the country. These include not only support to scientists in the laboratories to carry out competitive research in frontier areas of science and engineering but also for efficient development, transfer and commercialization of technologies developed in the laboratories. He is also Chairman, Recruitment and Assessment Board of CSIR..

Awards and Honours: Dr Ramamurthy received the Padma Bhushan Award (2005) in recognition of his outstanding contributions in Science and Technology. He was elected Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad, Indian National Academy of Engineering, the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World. He is Foreign Member, Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. .