Thirumalachari Ramasami is currently the Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India

Government of India

The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...

. He graduated in Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) from G.S.Hindu High School, Srivilliputtur in 1963, Pre-University from St.Joseph's College, Trichy in 1964, Bachelor and Master of Technology in Leather Technology from the University of Madras

University of Madras

The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...

 in 1969 and 1972, respectively with first rank and Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry from the University of Leeds

University of Leeds

The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...

, England in January 1976. He carried out post-doctoral research in the Ames Laboratory, Iowa State University

Iowa State University

Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...

 USA during 1978-80 and at Wayne State University

Wayne State University

Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...

, Detroit

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

, USA during 1981-83. Visiting Fellow at University of Newcastle upon Tyne

University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle University is a major research-intensive university located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the north-east of England. It was established as a School of Medicine and Surgery in 1834 and became the University of Newcastle upon Tyne by an Act of Parliament in August 1963. Newcastle University is...

 during 1983-84. Prior to this assignment, he was the Director of the Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai

Chennai

Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...

, India

Career

As Director of CLRI, he prepared a vision document for CLRI - CLRI Vision 2005, Directed the Leather Technology Mission with 170 projects in 17 states of India, reengineering CLRI, new models for development and measures for collective decision making. Led CLRI in providing cleaner tanning technology options for a group of 764 tanneries in a record time of 12 months. Led the Indian initiative in forecasting colours for Modeurop Congress gaining India, a niche status in the fashion world. India is now preparing shade card for the world. Galvanized and led CLRI in a growth path since 1996 in the capacity as Director. Prepared a vision, mission and action document for leading the growth of CLRI and gaining for India global leadership in leather by way of original publications, IPR generation and technologies delivered. Helped CLRI register a meaningful outcome on Indian Leather Sector during 1996-2004. Dramatic increases in outputs of CLRI have been registered during the Directorship since 1996.

Honours and Awards

Some peer recognitions that have come his way include the Fellow, Indian National Science Academy, Silver Medal of the Chemical Research Society of India, Prof. GS Laddha Endowment Lecture award, IICT-Darshan Endowment Lecture award, ALFA Orator Award, Elizabath Mathai Endowment Oration, Great son of the soil award from All India conference of intellectuals, Honorary Professorship of JN Centre for Advanced Research, Distinguished Alumnus Award, Anna University, Chennai, National Civilian Honour Padma Sri (Science and Engineering), Govt. of India, John Arthur Wilson Memorial Lecture Orator Award, American Leather Chemists Association, Material Research Society of India (MRSI) Medal, 2001, Platinum Jubilee Award of the Indian Chemical Society, 2001, Election to the honorary fellowship of the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, Election to the fellowship of the Third World Academy of Sciences, Om Prakash Bhasin Award for Engineering and Technology, For the sake of honour award (Rotary Club), Acharya P C Ray Memorial Oration Award, Chemito Award for excellence in Chemistry and Life sciences, Yedanappali memorial endowment oration award, Vasvik award for chemical sciences, Vocational Services Award from Rotary Club, Voice Award, 1995, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award

The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology is awarded annually by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for notable and outstanding research, applied or fundamental, in biology, chemistry, environmental science, engineering, mathematics, medicine and Physics...

for Chemical Sciences and so on. He is a recipient of the Padma sri from the Government of India