Ramesh Rasappan

Ramesh Rasappan serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the School of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram since his promotion in December 2022. Previously holding a Ramanujan Fellowship (2016), he leads an active research group focused on developing novel catalytic methodologies.

His research spans nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, photocatalysis, and organosilicon chemistry, with particular emphasis on C-C and C-Si bond formations through innovative multicomponent reactions. The group has established expertise in nickel hydride chemistry, radical pathways, and silylation methodologies, frequently employing sustainable approaches.

Analysis of recent publications reveals strong trends in photoredox-nickel dual catalysis (2023-2024), mechanistic studies of nickel intermediates (2021-2022), and development of solid organosilicon reagents for synthetic applications. The work demonstrates consistent focus on fundamental reaction mechanisms while addressing practical synthetic challenges.

• Ramanujan Fellowship (2016)
• SERB Extra Mural Funding (2015)
• Best Poster Award at Indo-French Seminar on Catalysis (2023)
• Best Poster Prize at ChemSci2021 Symposium (2021)
• Royal Society of Chemistry Best Oral Presentation Prize (2020)

Ramesh supervises approximately 15 PhD students concurrently, with 6 doctoral defenses in the past 24 months (2022-2024). His group has successfully placed graduates at institutions including University of Texas, Arizona State University, University of Bristol, and Osaka University. The research program is supported by continuous funding from SERB and DST, with recent grants enabling exploration of asymmetric catalysis and sustainable methodologies. The laboratory operates from IISER Thiruvananthapuram's permanent campus at Vithura, featuring dedicated space for synthetic and analytical work.