About Me
I began my academic journey by earning my M.Sc. from the prestigious School of Physics at D. A. University in Indore in 1997, followed by my Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur in 2003, where I had the privilege of working under the guidance of Prof. K. Shahi. After completing my Ph.D., I spent nearly a year as a CSIR project scientist in the Department of Physics at IIT Kanpur, collaborating closely with Prof. S. C. Agarwal.
In June 2004, I made a meaningful transition to the Physics Department at BITS-Pilani, starting as a Lecturer. It was a significant step for me, and I embraced the opportunity to grow and contribute to the field. By January 2006, I took on the role of Assistant Professor, and I was honoured to be promoted to Associate Professor in February 2013. Today, I am proud to serve as a Professor of Physics since July 2018.
My research focuses on experimental solid-state ionics, where my group studies fast-ionic solids and their impactful applications in energy devices. At Pilani, my research group excels in exploring the ionic and electronic properties of glasses, glass-ceramics, polymers, and polymer-ceramic hybrids for electrolytic applications. We also work on developing novel cathodes and anodes for energy storage devices. We are committed to advancing the development of high-energy-density batteries and supercapacitors as solid-state ionic devices. The Materials Physics Laboratory is fully equipped for materials development, as well as the fabrication and rigorous characterization of batteries and supercapacitors, enabling us to push the boundaries of innovation in this field. We are collaborating with colleagues in the chemistry departments of BITS Pilani, Pilani and Goa campuses, researchers at CSIR-CEERI, Pilani, RRCAT, Indore, UGC-DAE-CSR, Indore, and IIT Kanpur to achieve our goals.
I have executed several extramural grants. I was a visiting fellow in the INSA-Polish Academy of Sciences international exchange programme in 2014. I have successfully supervised 7 PhD students and am currently supervising 5 more. My students have gone on to excel in prestigious institutions as researchers/scientists/faculty members, including IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, Ola Electric, NTPC Delhi, Applied Materials in Mumbai, and postdoctoral positions abroad.
Administrative responsibilities in BITS:
Dean of Faculty Affairs: 3rd February, 2026- continuing
Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs:
16th January 2014-3rd February 2026 (no break)
HOD Physics: September 2016-August 2018
https://scholar.google.com.tw/citations?user=Qnd41esAAAAJ&hl=en
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=7006341925
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9353-9950
