Dr. C. Anandharamakrishnan, is a renowned scientist and academician with a vast expertise in the fields of Food Processing and Agro Processing. Currently, he is the Director of CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology,Thiruvananthapuram and Director of CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Maharashtra. Prior to this, he served as Director of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), Thanjavur (an Institute of National Importance; formerly known as Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT)) from 2016. Before being appointed as the Director of IIFPT he was Principal Scientist and Coordinator for the Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR) at CSIR-CFTRI. He is having more than two decades of experience in research and administration.
He obtained B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering from A.C. Tech, Anna University, Chennai, and completed M.Tech. at Anna University, Chennai. He has done his doctoral research in Chemical Engineering with a Specialization in Food Engineering at the Loughborough University of United Kingdom. During his Ph.D., he was awarded the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship Programme of Government of the United Kingdom.
His areas of research include the design of engineered nano and micro-scale delivery systems for the controlled and targeted release of food bioactive compounds, 3D food printing, engineered human dynamic gastrointestinal system and glycemic index studies, spray drying, and spray-freeze-drying of food products, and computational modeling of food processing operations, and sustainable packaging solutions.
Dr. C. Anandharamakrishnan is an active researcher with more than two decades of experience in research and administration. His research endeavours are well documented in the form of 224 impact factor-publications with an average impact factor of 4.65 and an h-index of 66, three international patents, twelve Indian patents, one commercialised patent. He is also the author and editor of 18 books and 132 book chapters published by coveted publishers. He has supervised 17 Ph.D. theses and more than 50 bachelor’s and master’s theses. He has been an invited speaker for 268 talks in national and international conferences, convocation addresses and panel discussions. He has transferred 17 technologies to various industries and has provided handholding support to more than 150 food processing start-ups and enterprises to facilitate product innovation and revenue growth.
Dr. C. Anandharamakrishnan is the coordinator for the India’s 1st Integrated mission mode project – CSIR National Mission on ’Sustainable Packaging Solutions for Net Zero Future. He was the Chairman of the capacity building and research program of the centrally sponsored PMFME Scheme implemented by the MoFPI. Under this scheme, about 73 incubation facilities have been established all over the country with the support of NIFTEM-Thanjavur and more than 3000 beneficiaries were trained under this scheme as a part of One District One Product program.
Dr. Anandharamakrishnan is the elected Fellow of National Academy of Sciences (FNASc), Fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), Fellow of Royal Society of Biology (FRSB), Fellow of Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India) –AFST(I), and the Institute of Engineers (FIE). He was awarded the Fellow of Kerala Academy of Science Award in 2023. He serves as the Associate Editor of Food and Bioprocess Technology and International Journal of Food Engineering. Also, he is the Editorial Board Member of various reputed journals including Journal of Food Process Engineering, Sustainable Food Processing, Associate Editor of International Journal of Food Engineering, Academic Editor of PLOS ONE Journal, International Editorial Advisory Board member for Drying Technology Journal, Editorial Board member of Journal of Food Process Engineering and various international journals, apart from being a peer reviewer for more than 20 International journals. He is a member of several professional committees and the member of the Board of Studies in various academic institutions.
Dr. Anandharamakrishnan has recently been honored by the Hon'ble President of India with the highest recognition award in the field of science, technology and innovation, 'Rashtriya Vigyan Shri’ 2024 Puraskar, for the distinguished contributions to the Agricultural Science sector. He was awarded the ‘2024 Tata Transformation Prize’ for Food Security by the New York Academy of Sciences and TATA Sons. He also received the ‘Distinguished Alumini Award 2023” by Alagappa College of Technology, Anna University, Chennai. He received the Recognition Award in Agricultural Engineering & Technology from National Academy of agricultural science for 2021-2022. He was awarded the prestigious ‘ICAR - Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award for Outstanding Research in Agricultural Sciences - 2019’. He was awarded Tata Innovation Fellowship 2019-20 by DBT, Government of India. He was also awarded the National Design Award 2019 for outstanding contribution by The Institution of Engineers, National Design and Research Forum. He is also the recipient of the prestigious NASI-Reliance Industries Platinum Jubilee Award 2018 and the AIFPA Special Platinum Jubilee Award for Development of Food Processing Technology & Innovation 2018. He was also announced for the Tamil Nadu State Scientist Award (TANSA) 2018 by the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology.
He has received several other awards including Dr. B.D.Tilak Chemcon Distinguished Speaker Award 2016 from the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (IIChE), Dr. M. Sabir Oration Award 2017 by Indian Society of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Best Director of the year 2018 and Visionary Leader of the Year 2018 by Integrated Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ICCI).