Swaminathan Sivaram, PhD
PhD 1972 Chemistry
Dr Sivaram’s contributions have many dimensions: Industrial research and development, technology development, commercialization of technology, imparting education and research training to a large number of young people in polymer chemistry, institution building, providing policy advice to Government in critical areas of science and technology, and advising industry on research and development strategies. He is also a credible spokesman for Indian science and technology capabilities to global companies and, thus, helping India gain its rightful place as the knowledge hub of the world.
His contributions to science in India have been widely recognized by several awards. He is an elected fellow of all the learned academy of sciences and engineering in India. He is also an elected fellow of the World Academy of Sciences, Trieste, Italy, and a body which recognizes excellence of scientists working in the developing world. The President of India acknowledged his contributions to society by conferring on him the highest civilian honor, Padma Shri. This civilian honor is awarded to less than fifty people every year, drawn from all walks of life, whose work and life have had a significant impact on India.
Dr. S. Sivaram has made significant and notable contributions to chemical technology and polymer science which has found wide spread applications in industry. Dr.Sivaram holds the record for the largest number of U.S. Patents granted to an Indian scientist for contributions made from India.
Dr Sivaram, as Director of National Chemical Laboratory, has taken several new initiatives to forge public - private partnerships in research and development and has promoted several transfers of technologies to industry in India. He has initiated several research programs of long term strategic interest to the nation such as clean energy technologies, creating new material technologies from agricultural wastes and biodegradable polymers from agricultural raw materials using the concept of integrated bio refineries.