Sukumaran Vasudevan obtained his BSc (1973) and MSc (1975) degrees from the University of Delhi and subsequently his PhD degree (1980) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur working under the supervision of Professor C.N.R.Rao. During 1980-83, he worked as a post-doctoral research associate in the laboratory of Sir J.M.Thomas at the University of Cambridge. He joined the Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore as a faculty in 1983 and has been a professor since 1999. Currently he is the Chairman of the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Research Centre at IISc, Bangalore.
Academic and Research Achievements: Vasudevan’s research interests are in the host-guest chemistry of inorganic host lattices particularly the insertion of guest molecules and polymers by intercalation into the galleries of the layered inorganic solids or by encapsulation in the voids of microporous zeolites. Confinement affects properties of both host and guest and his research efforts have been to understand the nature of these changes and how these reflect on host-guest interactions. His group has shown how the host-guest chemistry of layered solids can be extended to include neutral guest molecules by functionalization of the layered solid either by anchoring surfactant chains or by tethering cyclodextrin cavities to the gallery walls of the solid. His work has lead to new materials that combine the optical and electrical properties as well as chemical reactivity of the guest with the mechanical strength and thermal stability of the inorganic host. His group has shown that similar concepts of functionalization, by anchoring organic molecules, can be extended to nanomaterials to obtain new hybrid materials that can express properties of both components in a synergistic manner.
Other Contributions: Vasudevan has been active in teaching He has taught many core and elective courses and also developed several new courses.
Awards and Honours: Vasudevan is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Science and a recipient of the Chemical Research Society of India Bronze Medal .
