Ganeshan Venkataraman

Ganeshan Venkataraman is an Indian condensed matter physicist, writer and a former vice chancellor of the Sri Sathya Sai University. An elected fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, and the Indian Academy of Sciences, Venkataraman is a recipient of Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship, Sir C. V. Raman Prize of the University Grants Commission and the Indira Gandhi Prize for Popularisation of Science of the Indian National Science Academy. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian award of Padma Shri in 1991.

The Indian Academy of Sciences elected Venkataraman as their Fellow in 1974. The Indian National Science Academy followed suit by honouring him with elected Fellowship in 1977. He has also been a Jawaharlal Nehru Fellow (1984–86) and is a Fellow of the Materials Research Society of India. The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 1991. The same year, he received the Sir C. V. Raman Award of the University Grants Commission. The Indian National Science Academy awarded him the Indira Gandhi Prize for Popularisation of Science in 1994.

Venkataraman was born on 6 October 1932, at Madurai in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. After his post graduation, he joined Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and worked at various stations including the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, where he served as the director of the Physics, Electronics and Instrumentation Group. During this period, he pursued his doctoral research and secured a doctoral degree (PhD) in condensed matter physics in 1966 from the University of Mumbai. Later, he was appointed as the director of Advanced Numerical Research and Analysis Group (ANURAG) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). After superannuation from government service, he served as the vice chancellor and honorary professor of the Sri Sathya Sai University.