KV
Chemist

Krishnasami Venkataraman

Born 7 June 1901 · verify — Died 12 May 1981

Demonstrated the Baker–Venkataraman rearrangement reaction in organic chemistry.

Krishnaswami Venkataraman FNA, FASc, FNASc, FRSC, popularly known as KV, was an Indian organic chemist and the first Indian director at National Chemical Laboratory and University Department of Chemical Technology, Mumbai (UDCT). He was known for the demonstration of an organic chemical reaction involving 2-acetoxyacetophenones which later came to be known as the Baker–Venkataraman rearrangement and for his contributions in developing NCL into one of the leading research centres in organic chemistry. He was an elected fellow of several science academies which included the Royal Society of Chemistry, Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, USSR Academy of Sciences, Prussian Academy of Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Indian Academy of Sciences, and the Indian National Science Academy. The Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan, the third highest Indian civilian award, in 1961.

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A detail that
surprised us

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The Baker–Venkataraman rearrangement, discovered independently by Venkataraman in India and Wilson Baker in Britain, remains the only named organic reaction jointly attributed to an Indian chemist.

The Story

1
🌟 In 1923, Krishnaswami Venkataraman earned his MA in Chemistry from Madras University before winning a scholarship to University of Manchester, where he studied colour chemistry and worked under renowned chemist Robert Robinson.
2
In 1928, he published a crucial paper on the synthesis of flavones from 2-acetoxyacetophenones at Forman Christian College, Lahore, independently discovering what would later be named the Baker–Venkataraman rearrangement.
3By 1938, Venkataraman became head of the University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT) in Bombay, and in 1943, he was appointed its first Indian director, overseeing research that married fundamental science with industrial technology.
4🎓 After retiring from UDCT in 1957, he took the helm at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) Pune as its first Indian director, transforming it into a pioneering centre for organic chemistry research until 1966.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 1928, while working at Forman Christian College in Lahore, Venkataraman published a paper on flavone synthesis that independently paralleled work by British chemist Wilson Baker, leading to the reaction being named after both scientists.

📸 Through the Years

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🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Birth in Madras Presidency
Krishnaswami Venkataraman was born in Madras (now Chennai) into a Tamil Brahmin family with scholarly traditions.
1901
📚
Education
MA in Chemistry from Madras University
Completed MA and secured a scholarship to the University of Manchester for advanced studies.
1923
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Career
Returned to India, IISc Research Fellow
Worked briefly at Indian Institute of Science before joining Forman Christian College in Lahore.
1927
📖
Publication
Published Flavone Synthesis Paper
Reported the reaction that became the Baker–Venkataraman rearrangement in Current Science while at Lahore.
1928
⚡
Career
Head of UDCT Department
Appointed head of the University Department of Chemical Technology in Bombay.
1938
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Career
Director of UDCT
Became first Indian director of UDCT, pioneering research linked to industry.
1943
⚡
Career
Director of National Chemical Laboratory
Appointed as the first Indian director of NCL Pune, served till 1966.
1957
🏅
Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
Received the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India for contributions to chemical research.
1961
🕊️
Death
Death
Passed away in 1981 after a career shaping Indian chemical research infrastructure.
1981
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🗝️Discoveries

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01 / 04
🔍LESSER KNOWN

Venkataraman was elected fellow of the USSR Academy of Sciences during the Cold War period, reflecting unusual scientific collaboration between India and the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 60s.

02 / 04
👤PERSONAL

His father translated the Valmiki Ramayana into Tamil, showing a family legacy bridging classical literature and modern science.

03 / 04
👤PERSONAL

Venkataraman's brothers were prominent in very different fields—one edited Gandhi's collected works, another pioneered primary health care in India—illustrating a rare familial breadth of influence.

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🌱 What changed because of them

Venkataraman's dual directorships at UDCT and NCL established benchmarks for integrating rigorous organic chemistry research with industrial applications, directly influencing India's chemical manufacturing landscape. His leadership helped convert academic institutions into hubs of technological entrepreneurship, seeding numerous startups and private companies. The Baker–Venkataraman rearrangement he demonstrated continues to underpin synthetic organic chemistry in pharmaceuticals and dyes.

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