Mandikarappa Venkatachalappa obtained the BSc from Mysore University and MSc (Mathematics) from Bangalore University. After this, he received PhD (1974) from Bangalore University under the supervision of N Rudraiah while working on Internal Alfven Gravity Waves in Stratified Conducting Fluids. Thereafter (1976-2007), he worked as Lecturer, Reader and Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Bangalore University where he was also Chairman of the Department of Mathematics and Coordinator of the Centre for Advanced Studies in Fluid Mechanics.

Academic and Research Achievements: Venkatachalappa's researches cover the areas of fluid mechanics and magnetohydrodynamics. He has worked on linear and nonlinear internal Alfven-gravity waves, stability of shear flows, convection in finite enclosures and mathematical modeling of air pollution. In studies of internal Alfven-gravity waves, he established that at critical levels in the stratified conducting shear flow, across which the waves are attenuated, the waves energy is transferred to the shear flow. In the case of non-isothermal compressible conducting fluid in the presence of a variable magnetic field in a rotating system, he has established for the first time that there exists valve-like critical level and proved that the compressibility increases the probability of a valve effect and so increases the capacity of hydromagnetic wave to propagate across a magnetic field line, rather than being absorbed at some critical level. He has also developed several mathematical models to understand air pollution by incorporating different removal mechanisms and meteorological parameters which are associated with the life cycle of pollutants emitted from area sources and point sources of instantaneous as well as continuous nature. He has published over 75 research articles and edited several books. He has mentored a number of students including about 20 PhD students.

Other Contributions: Venkatachalappa established research collaboration with a Government electric factory in Bangalore to study cooling of the dry type transformers manufactured by the company. Because of his active research, he was a part of UGC committee which visited Kyrigistan, Russia to establish the collaborative research programme between Bangalore University and Kyrigistan State University.

Awards and Honours: Professor Venkatachalappa received the Young Scientist Career Award by UGC (1981), Best Research Paper publication by the Indian Society of Earthquake Technology (1983), President of India Award in the 18th Congress of ISTAM (1974), and INSA-Royal Society Exchange Programme Award for Young Scientists (1985). He was elected Fellow of the Indian Society of Earthquake Technology (1996) and National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad (1995). He was elected President of the Indian Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (2001).