Radhakrishnan obtained B.Sc. degree in chemistry from Calicut University in 1980 and M.Sc. degree in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in 1982. After obtaining M.A. degree in 1984 and Ph.D. degree in 1987 from Princeton University, he was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Texas at El Paso till 1988. He joined as a CSIR pool scientist at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and then moved to the University of Hyderabad as a lecturer in chemistry in 1989. He has been a professor of chemistry at the University of Hyderabad since 2001.
Academic and research contributions
Radhakrishnan has been teaching chemistry at the post-graduate level since 1989. He has also supervised research projects of a large number of masters and Ph.D. level students. Research in his group has contributed extensively to the field of molecular materials. He has developed conceptually novel and practically simple approaches to molecular crystals exhibiting efficient optical second harmonic generation, exploiting structure, symmetry and shape as the design elements and template effects for crystal growth. A class of molecules showing enhanced fluorescence emission in the solid state has been developed in his laboratory. The significance of molecules-in-materials and cooperative effects have been highlighted through the various investigations. Radhakrishnan has demonstrated novel strategies based on polyelectrolyte templating for the formation of ultrathin Langmuir-Blodgett films for nonlinear optics, providing an efficient solution to the problem of metastability of such films. His group has developed a simple protocol for the in situ fabrication of metal nanoparticle – embedded polymer thin films; the method is environmentally benign, circumvents potential health hazards of nanomaterials and facilitates the production of free-standing films of interest from fundamental and application perspectives. Another important area explored by Radhakrishnan relates to molecular nanocrystals and fundamental aspects of size effects in their optical responses. The research activities of Radhakrishnan have spanned various facets and domains of molecular materials, contributing significantly to an understanding of underlying concepts as well as to the development of novel materials and applications.
Other contributions
Radhakrishnan is an Associate Editor of the J. Chem. Sci. (Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore) and a Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Materials Chemistry Frontiers (Royal Society of Chemistry, London & Chinese Chemical Society, Beijing).
Awards and honors
Young Associate, Indian Academy of Sciences (1990 - 1995); Young Scientist Medal, Indian National Science Academy (1992); Fellow, Institute for Advanced Studies, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel (2006 - ); Swarnajayanti Fellowship, Department of Science and Technology (1998 - 2003); Bronze Medal, Chemical Research Society of India (2002); Fellow, Indian Academy of Sciences (2004 - ); Ramanna Fellowship, Department of Science and Technology (2008 - 2011); Fellow, Indian National Science Academy (2009 - ); Fellow, Andhra Pradesh Akademi of Sciences (2010 - ); J. C. Bose National Fellowship (2011 - 2020); Silver Medal, Chemical Research Society of India (2012); Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences (2012 - ); Academician (Fellow) of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Materials (2013 - ).
